Bedknobs and Bedlam: Harry Meets Eglantine
by Emperor Vanquest
Summary: Summary: This is my take at an adult crossover between Harry Potter, post DH, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. This is AU, no pairings, and as of now will have a M rating due to adult themes and situations which are not pleasant for young readers. Review.
1. Strange Happenings

Disclaimer: I do not own, seek to own, or seek to infringe on the copyright of JK Rowling, or of Disney Inc. Read at your own peril, please review.

Summary: This is my take at an adult crossover between Harry Potter, post DH, and Beadknobs and Broomsticks.

"Mr. Potter, your accounts have been closed in the manner that you requested, the properties that were so enchanted have been collapsed into your, as you called it, "pocket-dimension," and all of the servants, live-stock, vegetation, and perishables have been placed under our deepest stasis wards," said the former accounts manager for the Potter Family, The Rt. Hon. Fierce and Bloodthirsty Senior Goblin Account Manager Horgreate Slashender said to the young man seated across the opulent desk from him. "A total listing of the vast fortunes, wealth, magic(s), and properties you have acquired by right of conquest, blood, and honor has been included in this envelope for your perusal at a later date. I must say Mr. Potter that your closing of these accounts is sure to throw our stability into question."

"Slashender, your bank has been in business for many centuries, and you have diversified into the muggle world in more ways than one, and I know that the two year notice that I gave was not inconsequential. I know for certain that the mighty goblins of Gringotts will have the economy back on track within a week. You've had plenty of time to count this loss, and as far as business goes, this will turn into a lucrative venture for all of Gringotts," spoke a confident and bored looking Harry Potter. "Where is the storage unit, and what else is left to sign?"

"Mr. Potter, there are only nine forms left to sign, in blood, and the closure of your accounts will be complete. The storage unit containing what we are returning to your possession is under fortification at the moment in a room behind this one. The spell-work on the cask requires the contracts be negated before the device can leave Gringotts property."

"Very well then," Harry spoke humorlessly. As he began to read the contracts which would finalize his withdrawal of a vast sum of wealth, and treasures, from Gringotts he carefully withdrew his wand, a recent acquisition made of Elder, from his robes and cast every detection, revealing, and anti-confounding charm he knew before signed anything. There was no surprise in his voice when he discovered a hidden section of the contract in microscopic print emerge which, had he not discovered would have ceded more than three quarters of his wealth back to Gringotts for their "services" performed in putting his properties in stasis.

"Goblin," Harry began with a slight tremble in his voice from a rage he was unwillingly becoming accustomed to, "your attempt to swindle me is not only pitiful, but also unworthy of the skills of a Master Goblin. The Cask is to be brought to me now, or I shall find you in violation of the pact I and your Chieftain made before this process began. I have no qualms about casting the spell on you, or cursing the very stones of this bank to rubble."

"Can you blame us for trying Mr. Potter," the goblin snapped his fingered and a section of wall sank away to reveal a small group of goblins carrying what looked to be a solid cube of iron suspended between two metal poled, inscribed with a design which Harry had specified.

"Actually, I can," Harry said as he took his wand and began a detailed examination of the cube which he has spent the better part of three years researching and a great deal of money to make. "I am satisfied that the contents have not been altered, and I am satisfied that the crystals have been fully charged as was the task set before you."

The goblin began to look relieved, but before he could begin to speak Harry pointed his wand at the gaudy desk of the goblin and with a cold stare flames shot from the end of his wand, consuming the paperwork, the desk, and all of the materials that had previously been atop it.

"What is the meaning of this! This is an attack, not only on my person, but on Gringotts as well!" The goblin has spun to berate Harry, which would have been more effective had the remnants of his eyebrows not been smoking.

"That goblin," Harry began, "was my measured reaction to the trickery that you have tried to impress upon me today. Instead of killing the goblins of Gringotts, I merely removed the offending document in order to keep the peace…and when did it become standard to request blood for account closures? No, you creatures will receive none of my blood." With that Harry swished his wand and the cube began to pulse and phase until it was translucent, then gone. "I wish you a good day Master Goblin, and I know that if I am successful in my venture you and I shall not have any future un-pleasantries…shall we?" Harry stared over the rim of his glasses as the goblin fidgeted and squirm. "No my Lord, we shall not" was the only reply that he was given.

With the discussion over, Harry left the office, and once reaching the porch of the great marble building, apparated to the site which he had been preparing for so many years hoping to set the world right from all of the wrongs of the past.

Apparating into the clearing that was heavily warded, Harry approached the site manager whom was responsible for the dig. "Mr. Smith, how are you today," Harry asked with a smile. Harry preferred being at the site, and would have loved to supervise his own projects, but time was not on his side, and neither was it in his interests to possibly corrupt the natural magic of the site that the crew of experts were carefully molding and harvesting for his project.

"All is well today Mr. Potter. As I told you last week the site has been finished, we are simply reviewing all of the detail work on the masonry that you required of us. This is going to be a beautiful garden sir," spoke Mr. Smith, who was the contractor of one of the most successful muggle contracting companies in Europe. Mr. Smith and his company had been hired to construct a very elaborate building, set into the mountain of a once prosperous fishing village, which had been almost completely abandoned after the Second World War. The hill that the palatial structure had been carved into was once the site of an ancient castle, which stood for generations protecting the coastal village from invaders. What was not known, widely, was that the castle was the site of several powerful wizarding families, whom had lorded over the feudal area, and had tied their blood, and magics to the land.

The original ruin had to be destroyed, and the new building was modeled after, and a near reproduction of, Blenheim Palace. The design was no coincidence, as the original design was created by a squib genius whom realized that the design of the palace could act as a generator of sorts for ambient magical energy and when focused by a proper wizard through a complicated ward scheme the architect designed into the "artistic" masonry, a great source of self-replenishing and growing magical energy would be able to as the architect described, "alter reality."

"Thank you Mr. Smith for completing this task. I know that my grandfather started with your company some time ago to start this project, and I have been more than happy to complete the project with you. The quality of the work you have done is nothing short of amazing. I know that it has been a trying decade and a half of labor or you and the people of your company, but the rewards for the early completion will be worth your efforts. Pending a final inspection of the premise by my experts I am comfortable in saying that the £25 million early finish bonus may surely be in your account by the end of the week."

"Thank you Mr. Potter, working for your grandfather was a wonderful experience which the company was more than pleased to undertake. When the contract was first introduced for bidding, I can honestly say I was shocked. There were very few demands for such large scale projects, and even fewer were demands for architecture in anything but the modern style. After all, my company thought that your grandfather was insane until we saw that he had the cash to back up his desires." Mr. Smith indicated that Harry should follow him to the main entrance, as had become their custom for these weekly inspections.

"As was noted before there were a few troubling tiles of marble in the entrance way, but our new shipment arrived yesterday, and as you can see the work has been completed. This is most intriguing design that you chose for the pattern Mr. Potter…what was your inspiration?"

"I saw this design in one of my family's heirloom books. The thing was practically in pieces, but on the inside cover of the book was this design, which as far as I have been able to uncover it is a modified form of the Greek Alpha and Omega. The gold outlining was done very well by your subcontractor. The detail is absolutely amazing. Mr. Smith, what else remains to be done in the house beside the furnishing? Have the inspectors been by to certify the property?"

"Mr. Potter, we have had the inspectors in at each stage of construction, and as of 12:00 pm Sunday past, your property has met the standards of His Majesty's Government for occupation, as well as residency." Mr. Smith smiled as he directed Harry to one of the stairwells leading to the second floor. "As you can see Mr. Potter the master masons included the art details you required along the cardinal points of each corridor, room, and tile, while also ensuring that the symmetry of the house was to specifications. The office that you requested above the library, is completed, and allowed a full view of the great organ." Mr. Smith led Harry past several men that were continuing to paint and install fixtures here and there, until they reached a room two flights above the library which had a glad wall allowing for views of the library, as well as the jewel of the room, the pipe organ.

"The office has been designed to the specifications you asked for, with the large fireplace here by the entrance, with two more personal and conventionally designed hearths for the second and third flanking either side of your desk." Mr. Smith indicated that Harry should sit at his desk and check the paperwork on his desk. "The supply company has already furnished this room to your specifications and standards Mr. Potter there is a complete inventory of items in the lower left hand drawer of your desk, and the files on your desk are the final reports from my office as to the status of the house, which aside from a few minor fixtures which will be completed by week's end will be ready for your furnishings and designers to be set upon."

"Thank you Mr. Smith for the keen assessment and devotion that you have given the project over the last decade and a half. Are the kitchens functional?" Harry was looking through the paperwork and only glanced up to see the nod of Mr. Smith. "Excellent then, I don't know about you but I think celebratory drinks are in order." Harry saw the smile on Mr. Smith's face, and knew that the hospitality would be appreciated.

Pulling out a high-tech cell-phone from one of the pockets of his suit, Harry hit a few buttons and almost immediately began a conversation of various orders and actions for the person on the other end of the line to carry out. "Excellent Mr. Smith, that was my chief of staff, and by 5:00 pm this Saturday a celebration will be held in the courtyard for your crew, and all of the men and women that made this project a reality. Please inform everyone that family and friends are welcome, and that the citizens of the village are more than welcome to come. A band is being acquired, and if I am reading this report correctly, your men will have completed the clean-up of the interior by 3pm so we could feasibly have tours of the house?" Harry looked up and waited for Mr. Smith to speak.

"Yes Mr. Potter, there were only two crews in the house at the moment. One was completing the artwork in the third floor master suite, and the other is finishing the plumbing in sub-basement 3A." Mr. Smith took a moment to readjust in his seat before he continued speaking. "We have everything completed Mr. Potter, and if you would like to allow your house to be opened to the public, there are no preventatives that I can think of which would require people to remain outside. By Saturday all of the interior designers should have completed their tasks."

After signing a few pages with a flourish Harry looked up with a Cheshire-Cat smile, and happily exclaimed, "Wonderful! We have a full few days ahead of us, but this is a momentous occasion." Walking over to an expanse of wall Harry intoned, "Computer," as he spoke the section of wall his hand was on lost its decorative floral patter wall-paper revealing a smooth black glass surface with an odd keypad underneath the palm of Harry's hand. "Computer, please send out a mass alert to all citizens and residents of the village as well as all members of Mr. Smith's company whom have worked on the construction of the house informing them of a party to be held on the grounds at 5pm this coming Saturday." An ethereal voice that belonged to no one in the house responded, "Affirmative. Invitations will be sent to 650 individual workers, and 500 villagers. Will confirmation be required for attendance?" Harry responded in the negative, and the voice confirmed that delivery had been made.

"I'm glad you've shown some ease of use with the new computer system Mr. Potter, your grandfather was somewhat reluctant to utilize their services in the design of the building until I finally convinced him that some form of home computer and AI was needed to maintain the building." Mr. Smith smiled and as he left his chair and went over to touch the section of wall which was part of the computer. "We had the engineers specifically design the computer and security systems to be the pinnacle of modern technology. Not since the re-engineering of the Empire State Building in New-New York has such an advanced AI or supercomputer been used in a permanently affixed structure."

"Yes Mr. Smith, there were a few entries in my grandfather's journal that told me as such." Harry smiled coyly Mr. Smith as though there were some joke that only he was keyed in to. "Mr. Smith, everything seems to be in order, it's just past 10, would you agree to lunch with me at half past one in the village? Good, I'll see you at the Oyster and Clam on High Street then. They have lovely crab cake, and garlic potato. Thank you for your hard work Mr. Smith." Harry moved from where he was to shake the hand of the gentleman. "Shall we continue with the tour now Mr. Smith? I've been eying the pip organ for the last 30 minutes. I can't wait to try her out."

Of course Mr. Potter, let's carry on." And with that, the duo left the office. A moment later the wall panel flashed, preparing to return to its camouflaged state. What was of interest was that it showed not only the keyboard and a background image of the house and the Potter Crest, but also the date. In bold lettering, which stood in stark contrast to the rest of the computer terminal, the date 12 May, 2432 AD rotated continuously, reminiscent of the computer which the home AI had evolved from.

Ms. Eglantine Price was a woman that few people in the village could find fault in. She was an active member of the Women's Union, the Daughters of the King at the Cathedral, and she was an ardent supporter of peace and harmony. She had been a young woman during the Great War and having seen the horrors that man could inflict on one another, she had resolved to stand strong for the Empire, the Crown, and for her home.

After the death of her husband, Ms. Price had been so bold as to run for the local council, as a Conservative of course, and had only lost the nomination of her party by a three percent margin. Needless to say, she was a well respected woman of the area and to have gained so much support in a man's world was simply astounding. Ms. Price could often be found courting the local MP for higher veteran's benefits, better roads, setting a standard work week, as well as calling for lower import tariffs to allow for British Companies to be more competitive in foreign, and domestic markets. Ms. Price was truly a woman that was dedicated to all that she loved, and thankfully she had a very big heart.

As the drums of war began to beet in earnest in the year 1937, it was fear and trepidation that gripped the heart of the people of the village, and the Empire. It was not so long ago that the people were exposed to the depravity and sickness that is human pride, which led to The War and the loss of so many good and decent people. Ms. Price had heard murmurs that Germany was in a state of unrest, and that was cause enough for anyone to be upset. Whatever someone would want to say about the German's, it would never be that they were not a fierce and proud people…Versailles had not been kind to the German people, and most sensible people would agree that blaming a war which everyone partook in on one people was a recipe for disaster.

These dark thoughts were brooding on the mind of Eglantine as she prepared herself for another outing to speak with the local MP. He was stubborn little bastard that had once spit-up on her as she was tending to him in the Cathedral's Nursery when he was but a lad. If she was going to get him interested in the ding to get him interested in the home armament bill that was circulating, she was going to have to use every bit of persuasive power she had over him, and resolving her thoughts Ms. Price stepped out of the door into the light of a beautiful summer day, and began a stroll down the lane to the bus stop that would comprise the beginning of the first day of her new life.

As she was locking her door to go to the general store, she looked to the old castle that set into the hill not too far from her home. She had grown up in the village and the castle had been more than a local attraction. It had been abandoned since the 1400s, when the family that owned it had died in the plague. Apparently they were a good family, as the villagers had kept the castle in relatively good repair. It was eventually taken over by the government as a strategic coastal defense in the 1700s, but by the 1890s the government had turned it back over to the village, which turned it into a museum. At the moment it only housed old suits of armor, ancient weaponry, and to those in the know a radar/sonar station in a secret dungeon that a few members of the village home guard monitored at the request of the government.

As Eglantine was walking down the path, the sky began to darken which was unusual as the almanac called for a clear, if humid, day. Out of nowhere lightning began to crisscross the sky leaving a web of afterglow from the thermal discharge, and Eglantine could feel that something was off. Suddenly, the tree in the field she was walking past was struck by a blinding flash. What followed was a deafening roar, and an explosion that was neither expected nor welcome. Needless to say, Eglantine began to run to her home.

Ms. Price continued to run to her cottage, fearing for her life, and thankfully she made it in time to safely retreat to her sitting room. It was becoming unnaturally dark, across the village, starting with the distant horizon and like a sea wave crashing to the shore, a blanked of pitch was preventing Eglantine to see anything but the old castle, which had an ethereal green and purple glow about it. The noise outside was becoming more noticeable as the seconds ticked by, and Eglantine began to fell a chill which was not present before. Suddenly rain, thick and chilling, began to pound the roof of her home and obscured her vision of the Castle.

An annoying ring startled her, and with a sigh of relief she walked into the entryway of the cottage to answer her telephone. "Price residence, Eglantine speaking. Hello Father Andrew! Yes, I was going into the village when the storm hit but I am fine now. You saw me with your looking glass you say? Yes the tree did give me quite a start. Can you see what is making the castle glow? Of course I'm not joking reverend, look for yourself! It's as plain as the nose on my face that green and purple lights are surrounding the castle, and its been getting brighter the longer this storm goes on. No I've not been drinking, I tell you the castle is glow…..Hello? Hello? Operator….Operator…." The line had gone dead after a particularly bright flash of lighting, and the lights soon followed. "Dash it all, can this day get any worse?"

Eglantine rummaged in the drawer of the table the telephone sat on, and produced a candle and matches. Quickly lighting the wick, as if experienced with the action, she began a slow walk to her sitting room where she quickly lit a fire, and a few oil lamps, so as to have a better source of light. Eglantine walked over to one of the bookshelves that sat against the wall across from the window she was observing the castle from, and with some trepidation sought out a particular knot in the self. Finding it, she pressed and an audible click brought her a sigh of relief. With the no effort at all, Eglantine pulled the bookcase toward her removed an oil lamp, and began walking down a spiraling staircase into what was undoubtedly a basement area. As she turned the corner, a soft clock, and faint glow of orange from the door once shut, was the only response the met the rhythm of her heels as she ventured down the stairway.

At the bottom of the stairs Eglantine was met with a door carved with many strange symbols and depictions, some of which would seemingly move slightly in the lull of the lamplight, others seemingly glowing as Eglantine reached for the ancient looking door latch. Inside the room Ms. Price lit the wall sconces, and another fire which had a cauldron in place as if for cooking, or other purposes.

"Book! Book! Where are you my darling?" Eglantine practically sang as she glided about the room until she came to an ornate pedestal near a painting of a woman with flowing silver robes and long blonde hair. As though it was an everyday occurrence the painting shifted its gaze from something in the distance, to Eglantine, and did the impossible…it spoke. "Eglantine, something is the matter. What is testing the defenses of the House, and disturbing the balance of magic?"

"I don't know Rominda, there is a very odd storm raging, and the castle is glowing purple and green. Does that mean anything to you?"

A pensive look came upon the figure as she relaxed into the chair that was depicted behind her. "The wards which were anchored to the castle could be the cause of the lights, but as to why they are becoming visible is a mystery. You say that this storm came from nowhere?"

"Yes, it was a beautiful day when suddenly the sky darkened and the lightning came. Then darkness literally came from the sides and cloaked our village."

"Eglantine, I want you to prepare the Sigh to Site potion, and tell key it to the village. I want to know what is going on beyond these walls. Also, if the storm is magical, which I suspect that it is, then it is best that you activate the wards around the cottage and reinforce the spells you have cast on this room with a strengthening drought to the ward crystals, and hurry. The magic has been growing thicker in the air above, and a fraction of what is happening has reached us here below. Whatever this is that is happening, we will use to our advantage. Go to the crystal room and begin allowing the crystals to absorb this ambient energy, and feed any access that they take in to the wards. We very well may need the energy that is running wild to protect us from whatever is coming." The painting of Rominda sat pensively for the next two hours as the storm outside grew steadily worse, and Eglantine's pace became frantic as the magic saturating the air made it almost impossible for her to breath.

"Eglantine, I know you are feeling sluggish now, but you have to finish my dear. I estimate that you only have another hour before the magic reaches its saturation point and whatever is to happen does…this cottage and your work must be preserved!" The painting was becoming somewhat agitated, and worried. She had a twin painting in an upstairs sitting room which looked out to the castle, and lightning had begun to strike the castle periodically, until finally the purple glow, the outer defense wards, ended. It had taken the better part of 30 minutes of complete bombardment by the lightning to bring the ward down. Whatever was directing the lighting was a force that Eglantine did not need to face alone, especially as she was nearly defenseless.

"Rominda, I have completed the tasks. I grow weaker by the minute." Waves of energy and magic were dancing wildly through the town, and with each strike of lighting to the castle, a shockwave of red energy radiated from the castle to the entirety of the village. The residents of the town, whom were all indoors avoiding the storm, were in various stages of unconsciousness as this red energy permeated every structure and caused the bodies of the residents to glow with a faint halo of light after the wave had passed. The only resident not affected by the energy wave, whose effects were unknown, was Eglantine, as she was becoming trapped in a subterranean lair which none of the villagers knew of, not if they found it would have approved of.

"Eglantine, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Go into the crystal room, lock the door, and cast a bubble head charm upon yourself so that you maintain a healthy level of oxygen. Whatever is happening across the village the air has been tainted by the battle going on at between the castle and the storm. The green ward is about to collapse, and an ungodly amount of smoke is billowing from every window, door, and opening of the castle…yet there is no fire." The painting peered at Ms. Price through the curtain of silk that was her hair, and the pensive look she had worn earlier had returned. "I can think on only one other time when anything similar to this occurred, and the results were not pleasant for the one's whom were in the vicinity of the blast zone. Wards as old and powerful as the ones on the castle will not dissipate without taking half of the village with them. If you stand a chance of surviving this Eglantine, it is in the crystal room. Go now, and save yourself while you still have the strength. I have another portrait in London that I can use to bring in help from the outside."

"Rominda, you know as well as I do that unwanted attention cannot be drawn to us, or to our research. I will go to the crystal room, but you must not warn anyone of what is going on here. If you do go, try to return first in order to see if outside intervention is needed. You know as well as I do that the Ministry would more that frown on my involvement with this community, and the extent that I have gone to protect these people. My plans cannot be interrupted, nor risked because a little wind blew in from the west!" Eglantine, clearly frustrated, left the main chamber for the crystal room, and Rominda seeing the glow of the door seal, knew that her advice had been followed. She left her current frame for the one in the sitting room upstairs, when she looked out and saw that the green dome of the castle wards were flickering, and there was a now a constant stream of electricity assaulting the castle continuously.

Marveling at the power needed to command the elements, Rominda was caught unaware when suddenly the ward collapsed, as if it were a great glass dome over the castle. The noise was indescribably horrendous to hear, but what was truly awe inspiring was the faint glow that originated from the central courtyard of the castle, and quickly spread outward to the village at an alarming rate. Rominda was not aware of it but she, the Price Cottage, and the Castle were caught in the center of a fireball which quicly spread outward destroying anything within 700 meters of the castle. Interestingly enough, only three buildings were lost on the plume of fire which raced across the open fields of the castle grounds; one being the castle itself, the second being an outlying house which was in ruins on the southern side of the castle, and Ms. Price's cottage which once stood on the northwestern most tip of the castle lawn overlooking the beach below.

However, protected by a faint blue glow, where the sitting room of Ms. Price once stood, was a stone passage leading underground to an area that while slightly shaken from the experience of the explosion, nonetheless had survived. Ms. Price would be glad to note that her paining had managed to escape to its frame in London, but she would find in the morning that changes awaited her in the village…changes that none of the other villagers seemed to notice, or see as having been made. Yes, the biggest mystery to Ms. Price would not be finding out what had happened the day prior…the biggest mystery would in finding out how in the Hell Blenheim Palace had suddenly appeared in her village, and why no one else seemed to remember the castle, or her.

This is the first attempt that I have made at a fic in quite some time. I don't know how regular I will be, or if this merits continuing.

As for the Harry's Grandfather thing, and the time in the first part, I wonder what being the Master of Death would entail…and the most obvious thing to me would be immortality, but also a cold indifference to the world.

Yes, the computer was a star-trek reference.

No…this is not going to follow Cannon of either worlds.


	2. Dark Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own, seek to own, or seek to infringe on the copyright of JK Rowling, or of Disney Inc. Read at your own peril, please review.

Summary: This is my take at an adult crossover between Harry Potter, post DH, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

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When we last saw Ms. Price, she was exiting what was once her cottage by the sea in a quaint little village near the cliffs of Dover, and a strange storm had appeared out of nowhere and seemingly changed the landscape. It was apparent to Ms. Price that the changes were not purely cosmetic, as would normally be the case with most storms. After all, a few broken branches, or loose shingles would not be out of place in a village this close to the sea. What shocked and dismayed Eglantine was that not only was her home completely gone, with no trace remaining, but also missing was a centuries old castle that had once served as a seat of power for the region.

The thought had occurred to Eglantine that there was magic involved…and that thought is what likely saved her life, as well as her laboratory. However, she needed to suss out what had happened to the village and the best place to find answers to anything that was going on in town would be at the salon…Jennifer the stylist did every woman in town's hair, and that included Margaret Billingsly, the mayor's wife. If there was anyone in town who would have found out what was going on, Margaret, and by extension their mutual friend Jennifer, would know.

After managing to right herself in the crystal room, Eglantine quickly walked to the main chamber where a mirror hung, opposite the portrait of Rominda. "Damn it," she muttered to herself after finding the oil lamp had exhausted its source of fuel sometime in the night. "It's just my luck that on the day I need the damn thing it runs out, and I haven't any replacement fuel…", Eglantine continued a string of cursing that would have made a sailor blush, not only out of frustration but also because a sharp pain was steadily increasing in the frontal lobe of her head.

"Oh dash it all!" Eglantine was at the end of her very short rope, and angrily walking back to the crystal room she opened a drawer containing a very important and useful tool which she had stored for its own safety as the cabinet containing the drawer was enchanted to be unbreakable. It was a narrow length of wood which allowed her to focus her magic, and had for years, and was her constant aid in her times of need.

After retrieving her wand and returning to the main chamber, she swished, flicked, and twirled it and wall sconces holding literal torches, a few candelabras, and a high chandelier were all lit bathing the room in more light than should have been possible. "Finally, what's the damage then?" Glancing into the mirror, Eglantine saw that she had a moderate cut running along the left side of her head, but nothing a quick spell couldn't heal…especially as calling in a professional would raise undue questions. "St. Sophia's is out of the question because they will have surely been alerted by the ministry of something going on near here, and I can't have my residency discovered." Eglantine opened her book to a section she'd unfortunately become all too familiar with and swish and jab that she was all too familiar with the wound quickly closed itself with a quick pull of the flesh…but the sting would last unfortunately.

Having effectively healed herself of the damage she had discovered, Eglantine turned around to ask a question of Rominda when she noticed that her portrait frame had broken, which allowed the portrait to fall to the floor. "I'm coming Rominda! I just discovered you'd fallen. Whatever that was did a number on the both of us….to say the least." Eglantine sat her wand on the counter below the mirror and went to prop Rominda up so she would be out of the mess and confusion of the main chamber.

"There we are, propped against the wall rather nicely. Rominda, Did you manage to see what was going on in London?" The portrait remained silent, and shifting herself out of the light, Eglantine saw why Rominda had not responded. The portrait of her friend, known only to her as Lady Rominda, had frozen in a pose of fright, and utter panic. The tiara that had been worn so elegantly was half hanging from the side of the portrait's head, and her dress appeared torn in multiple places. It was almost as though she were fleeing Jack the Ripper with the amount of blood that was trailing down the side of her neck, not to mention the burns on her once unblemished face…but oddly only on the left side where the blood was. Half of her hair was missing, again on the left side, and she was crumpled on the floor of her parlor, in the painting, as though she had just fallen there.

"My poor Lady…what happened to you," Eglantine asked with a chocked sob as a single tear began to trek its way down her delicate cheek. After hastily retrieving her wand, Eglantine began a series of diagnostic charms that were meant to report on magical portraits. Eglantine had once had a cauldron of a particularly acidic variety go off one day while she was in another room off the main chamber, and the Lady had received a portion of the potion on the corner of her frame. Needless to say, it became necessary for Eglantine to learn the charms necessary to keep her friend safe and as healthy as a portrait could be. Spell after spell was cast, but the Lady did not awaken…even if her injuries seemed to be healed.

"I've got to do something damn it all to hell!" Eglantine only had one option available to her now. After all of her previous ministrations had failed to rouse the occupant of the portrait, or even show that it was a magical portrait, Eglantine took one of her power crystals from the crystal room and began a complicated ward that would tie the portrait to the crystal. It was dangerous magic because if the ward matrix dissolved before it could be completed, it risked upsetting the magic inherent in the crystal, which would result in a fantastic explosion of crystal, and whatever the magic was being tied into. That's why most sane individuals left warding to professionals…whom you could sue the pants off of if the fooked up.

Once her task was completed, and the power crystal feeding a steady flow of magic to the portrait, the occupant began to color slightly in areas where the flesh was exposed, and some movement could be detected. However it was minimal movement at best and it would take some time before the portrait would be back to any form of normal. Raising up and dusting herself off, Eglantine began for the door leading to her sitting room, dreading what she would find of the damage was reflective of what she had experienced in the basement.

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As soon as Eglantine was on the other side of her door, she knew that something was obviously wrong. Where before the entrance area had been dark and foreboding, now light was pouring in from where her staircase used to be. "Well isn't that just wonderful…my bloody roof is gone now." Stepping over the puddles water she looked up the hole and saw that not only was the solid limestone spiraling staircase missing, but the ornate, and rune-filled, door was almost melted completely flat in some areas. "Oh…this day just keeps getting better!"

Eglantine threw the door open, stormed to her storage closet, and removed an old broom from the closet, which she proceeded to mount, and after disillousioning herself, used to fly from her basement like a bat out of Hell. She shot from the hole which was her house and she climbed higher, and higher until reaching a distance where she felt comfortable, she leveled out and looked around at her village. Whatever had caused the storm had not only removed her cottage, but also removed any evidence that it had ever been there. Now where her house had sat were acres of gardens, fountains, and a rather high walled-fence which shambled around what used to be the castle grounds.

"Great….my basement is now in the middle of a garden, and open to the elements…and discovery. This is unacceptable. I've worked too long and too hard to have my plans botched…but who was powerful enough to do all of this?" Eglantine flew a little lower and noticed that the castle looked markedly different. Where before there was but a central keep with a few off shooting towers and low-lying buildings made of stone, now there was an elegant Palace, which was startlingly similar to Blenheim Palace, and she should know…she'd dined with the Duke of Marlborough on a few occasions to gain an audience with the Prince of Ireland when he'd visited on a few occasions, and had become rather close to the Duchess. There were noticeable differences in the structure, such as an extended porch here or there, the artwork was somewhat different, and the central courtyard was covered over with a glass ceiling. It also seemed as though the building was much more…spread out that she had remembered from the tour she had seen of Duke's home.

"_This is powerful magic the likes of which I have never seen before_," Eglantine though. "_I need to find out if there are any clues as to what the magic did to the town, especially of there was no debris left from my house…there is no telling what else could have happened_." Eglantine continued her stealth flight to the edge of the property, but as she neared the fence of the property, about 500 meters from the main entrance of the structure, Eglantine's broom slowed to a snail's pace. It was as though the broom were suddenly flying through molasses. More alarmingly though, was the sensation that Eglantine couldn't move her shoulders to direct the broom, which she discovered because she was unwillingly being re-routed on a southern heading and slowly descending to the central courtyard of the structure. Eglantine was getting frantic now, every fiber of her being was screaming to her to change course of she would crash through the glass and would be cut to pieces, but no matter how hard she strained she could not alter the course of the broom. "_Damn it all to Hell in a handbasket with bug-eyed kittens!_," Eglantine was 20 meters from the glass when the middle parted, and her safe passage was allowed with quite a wide berth.

Once she touched down however, her happiness was short-lived as she heard a grumble above her and saw that the ceiling had slid back into place above her, thus ensuring that she would not be able to escape on broom. Without any warning a voice sounded from all around her, but came from no one that she could see. "Unauthorized Landing in the Central Courtyard, Alert Level Yellow. Security teams to their stations." The voice was definitely masculine, but it carried a blandness to it that set Eglantine on edge, and this talk of security teams was very troubling to Ms. Price.

All of the windows, and there were quite a few, burst open, and a figure holding a rifle could be seen, and all were pointed at her. "Kneel on the ground with your hands behind your head. Discard any weapons you posses within the next 5 seconds as you kneel," again it was the voice that seemed to surround her in the courtyard commanding her to kneel and discard her weapons. She was faced with an impossible choice, and as she began to kneel, she slid her wand and her broom a few feet in front of her position as she began to do as instructed.

"Squadron 1, you may advance into the courtyard," the voice continued after Eglantine had complied. Men in dark black suits began to pour in from side doors all along the courtyard, one which happened to be close to Ms. Price. A man came from behind her and ripped her hands from her head and tied them behind her with something and jerked her to her feet. "Squadron Leader, All Clear" and with that the men around her began to form into lines at attention while the men in the window kept their weapons trained on her. From the far end of the courtyard, the central door slowly opened and people began to emerge. However it was not that people came, but what she saw of the people. There were 4 'officers' dressed in the same black as the men holding her, and around her, but they were more decorated than the men which had flooded the courtyard. However most surprising was the man that was leading the procession.

He was dressed in startlingly emerald vest with matching pants, starched white shirt with pink tie, and was walking with a rather odd looking carved gentleman's cane. "Well Ladies and Gentlemen," the person in green began, "it looks as though we have succeeded, but apparently we have disturbed our neighbors by our arrival. At ease everyone, let's find out who sent our guest today." The voice was surprisingly chipper, but Eglantine detected a biting undercurrent of hostility directed at her by the way the speaker smiled and looked at her as he said the last part. "That was not a request," the man continued.

Fearing what these people could do to her if she resisted, Eglantine resigned herself to her fate and met the man's eyes and stated, "My name is Eglantine Price, I've lived in this village for some time. No one sent me to you. Would you be the bastard that destroyed my house?" Eglantine had a hard edge to her voice, and despite the situation, she was more than willing to end her life in defiance than in submission. Her self-respect would allow no less.

The man continued to hold her eye for some time and after a few moments of quietly staring at her, he showed the faintest of smiles, and spoke to one of the decorated men in uniform beside him in a hushed whisper. "Code Green, Squadron 1 disperse, sentries at ease," was the command of the man in green. The man came too close to comfort with Eglantine and after she had been forced to look at him for flinching away by the soldier behind her, he said, "Sorry about your house. Let's have tea." With that the man and the others began to leave the courtyard, with Eglantine in tow.

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May 12, 1937

**British Ministry of Magic**, **Department of Magical Education, and Magical Monitoring**

Secretary of Magical Monitoring Brendon Marchbanks was beside himself with alarm. Yesterday evening, all of the monitors for the whole of the United Kingdom had lit up like a Christmas tree, and the alarms were still ringing but silenced. For the last 24 hrs Brendon had been trying to find out what had caused the disturbance, while the Aurors had been called to perform low-level fly-over's of all major cities of the UK to ensure that there wasn't an invasion of some kind going on, or worse…a revolt. It had been over 300 years since the last major Magical Revolution, and Brendon had no desire to live in, or through, one.

The sensors of all British areas, save those not on the Island were all reading as normal, but those monitoring mainland Britain had all lit up yesterday afternoon and began blinking in sequence, and as of 2 pm today, the 12th, the blinking had stopped and all monitoring stations were reading a steady red, meaning that all of the monitoring stations for mainland Britain were either blown, or offline. Whoever had caused this problem, most likely someone from maintenance as an upgrade in the ward-stones for this department was scheduled to have taken place over the last week, was in for a major ass chewing from the Minister of Magic.

No, Brendon was not amused over this issue, and neither would be the Director of the DMLE if this 'threat' did turn out to be nothing more than a maintenance issue. The last time that ornery old bastard had the Auror Force on this level of alert had been when India had been thrown into turmoil, and we had to move combat units in to keep the muggle casualties to a minimum.

"Brendon!," exclaimed a very flustered man as he barged into the office of Magical Monitoring. "I asked for a report on the functionality of the sensors two hours ago…and no update has been given. Can you explain to me why I, as the Department Head of the DMLE, am about to go into a meeting with the Minister of Magic, all other Department Heads, and the Muggle Prime Minister over this debacle without any information over the incident from our Magical Monitoring Sub-Ministry?"

Brendon calmed himself, understanding that the man was under considerable stress, and replied, "Mr. Bellington, the report is being compiled as we speak and all 15 members of this department are manually examining each sensor on our grid. If you will notice the giant map behind me, you will notice there are thousands of these sensors that only the specially trained members of this department can repair and re-tune for their purpose. I am receiving hourly reports from the people in the field and so far we have been at this for the last four hours." Brendon summoned a ministry elf and ordered refreshments for himself and the Director of the DMLE. "I sent an owl to you over an hour ago asking for an extension on the report deadline as so far only 10 percent of the magical monitors and sensors have been repaired and examined."

Brendon took a seat at his desk once the refreshments arrived from the elf and invited the Director to have a seat in a comfortable chair which had appeared behind him. "Director, I know that you are my superior and I fall under your direct control but I and my entire ministry simply have not been able to figure out what has happened." He handed over several sheets of parchment bound by loosely in a file folder to the Director. "This is all of the compiled reports that I have dictated so far from the floo calls I've received from the operatives in the field, and as you can see they haven't even been able to trace where the damage originated from, let alone how this happened or when we can get the entire network back online." Director Bellington looked through the parchments are Brendon was speaking, only looking up occasionally to scowl after he had read a troublesome passage.

"Mr. Marchbanks, am I to understand that of the number of sensors that have been returned to working condition, three-quarters will need replacing within the next six months?"

"Yes Director. Unfortunately whatever happened, and we still don't know, these sensors were installed for long term use, and as such should have lasted an additional 200-250 years before any upgrades were needed. As it now stands, unless we act quickly to replace them, magic will not only be untraceable in Britannia, but some of the wards tied to these sensors will begin to collapse and could reveal our world to the muggles." Brendon was sweating heavily by the time he finished his assessment to the Director.

"Mr. Marchbanks, in your capacity as the Secretary for this Ministry, what would you recommend that I tell the Minister of Magic and the other Department Heads? I have to compile my own report to the Minister for submission in the next two hours and there are still many reports I have to see to in my own office." The Director sat back rubbed his temples and resigned himself to seeing this trouble through. If there was one thing that the British were known for it was their resolve, determination, and dedication.

"Director Bellington, I simply don't know right now….this ministry is in a state of chaos. The only thing I can even ask for now is that every able bodied, and competent, wizard or witch of sufficient power that can enchant be brought into the ministry, and from the ministry, to begin enchanting new ward stones for the new sensory net that we are going to have to make to replace the current system. We could ask the Goblin enchanters of Gringotts for aid, but I don't know the implications or legality of that option. We should also consider calling in volunteers from the Empire to help…after all, if the sensory net here collapses, the wardstones tied from here across the Empire will collapse if we can't restore the primary stones that make up the sensory net here in the UK." Brendon sat back heavily in his chair and began to answer more floo calls that were coming in and dictating to his quill.

Seeing the chaos of the office and knowing that there was nothing much that he could do, the Director left the office angry, not at his subordinate, but at the problems that were facing the Ministry of Magic that he could not easily remedy…It was all starting to be too much for the Director to handle. This incident had been going on for most of the day and it still wasn't clear if the country were being invaded or if a rebellion were happening which had overpowered the sensory net which crisscrossed all of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. What had not been widely made known was that a wave of magical backlash had been created by the sensory net failure in the United Kingdom, until the moment the sensors failed, which sent a pressure wave of magic toward the Continent and the Atlantic Ocean. Reports were just coming in at this late hour that the most eastern outposts in Canada were experiencing the effects of the magical pressure wave. The troubles caused from this would not be known to the Director or the Minister of Magic for some time to come…they could only hope that everything would be resolved positively.

$_$_$_$$_$_)$)$)$$($((#(#*$JBEDFOPJBNEOPDNJOPNSDONPSON{NSDPND

**Same Day, Wizenagmot Chambers**

The Wizenagmot was an odd governing body by any standard of muggle measure. It served as a hereditary seat of judicial authority for the magical peoples and subjects of the British Empire, but it also was the final means of approval or rejection of legislation which came from the Ministry of Magic which the Wizenagmot sanctioned and empowered. Normal meetings were presided over by a Chief Mugwump and sessions normally were very informal with the most senior members being allowed to speak or motion first. Even though there were no formal rules of operation or procedure for the Wizenagmot, it was mandated by precedent and common consent that the presiding officer, the Chief Mugwump, was in absolute control of the meeting and the agenda of the meeting. However, the presiding officer position was an elected one, every five years, and as such the actions of the presiding officer were only binding, at minimum, for five years, or for only so long as the general assembly of the Wizenagmot agreed to follow the policies and procedures of the Chief so long as they supported his reelection.

Why it is important to know this was that after the Director of the DMLE finished his meeting with Secretary Marchbanks he, and all other Department Heads met with the Minister of Magic in order to brief him before he had to answer to the Wizenagmot. One similarity that the Wizenagmot shared with the Imperial Parliament was that the Minister of Magic had to answer to the Wizenagmot weekly, as well as during times of national emergency or crisis. This occasion, this incident, was unlike anything that had happened thus far. Members of the Wizenagmot had been inundated by Howlers and Owls over the course of the last day and most were very irritated that they had not been immediately notified when the incident had happened.

The main Judicial Chambers of the Wizenagmot were in the bowels of the Ministry in Courtroom Ten. However, less known but the much more used were the Legislative Chambers of the Wizenagmot two floors above Courtroom Ten. The chambers were a stark contrast to the bleakness that the architect of the courtrooms wanted to convey. The legislative chamber was absolutely massive. It was easily five times the size of courtroom ten, and was surprisingly modeled on the Muggle House of Lords. While in theory the Sovereign was an absolute monarch for the wizard portion on the Empire, the Great Schism had caused the wizarding world to be somewhat more autonomous than the muggles, while still recognizing the King and His Government.

The only obvious difference between the Wizenagmot Legislative Chamber and the House of Lords was that there were three equal tiers of Benches which fanned from the throne, which again the Chief Mugwump sat in in the absence of the King, with the Ministry being seated directly in front of the throne, the Ancient and Noble Houses sitting to the right of the throne, signifying their favor from the Monarch, and the Lesser, but Pure, families sitting to the left of the throne. There were currently 125 members of the Ancient and Noble Houses sitting in the Wizenagmot, 200 members of the Lesser families, and of course the Minister of Magic and his Department Heads and all those comprising the government assembled before the members of the Wizenagmot.

It was to a tense silence that the Chief Mugwump stood from the throne, raised his ceremonial staff, and struck the ward-stone three times thus bringing the chamber to order and activating the wards which were powered by the presence and consent of the Ancient and Noble Families ensuring civility, and ensuring the legality of the laws passed and their binding effect upon the magical peoples of empire.

"Order, this Chamber will come to order for the purpose of Governmental Questions," the Chief Mugwump sat in his throne as he had always done, and indicated that the Minister of Magic should rise, approach his dispatch box, and address the chamber.

"My Lords and Ladies of the Ancient and Noble Houses, Sirs and Madams of the Lesser Houses assembled, I stand before you today as your Minister of Magic and am grateful for the favor you have found to place in me your trust and government. I have assembled before your persons my government, a strong and fierce government which serves the magical peoples of the empire and serves the needs of the commons and noble alike. This morning there was a magical surge which has damaged our magical sensors throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and unfortunately the danger has not passed," the Minister took a sip from his water glass before continuing on with his opening speech.

"We were not invaded, nor were we the subject of terrorist attacks. Our fine Aurors and Ministry personnel have scoured the entire country and no damage to muggle sites or magical centers have been found. Unfortunately, we have not been able to decipher what has caused the problem and I have taken action to stabilize our crumbling sensory network which will prevent the revelation of our society to the muggles," at this revelation there was a hearty round of applause from the members of the Lesser Families and solemn nods from the Ancient Families. The Chief Mugwump called for order again and the commotion quieted. "Master Mugwump," the Minister began as was required when outlying government action, "as a result of this incident I have ordered a mandatory curfew to be in effect upon the good citizens of the Kingdom, and have called in our best enchanters from across the empire to help in the replacement and stabilization of our sensory grid."

"Beginning this evening at nine pm Aurors will be deployed to all major urban and coastal cities with significant wizarding populations to ensure that there are no magical threats walking our streets," there was another chorus of agreement from the members of the Wizenagmot arose and the Minister allowed for it to die down naturally. "My Lords and Ladies, Sirs and Madams, let me be the first to inform you that your government has discovered a very disturbing occurrence which is directly related to the failure of our sensory network. Our counterparts in France, Germany, Spain, and other continental Ministries of Magic have contacted us concerning a magical wave which washed over their territory and much the same as has been happening to us has happened to them as well. However, as I understand it, the United Kingdom was the epicenter of the event and has suffered the most severe damage. Where our entire sensory network has been destroyed, our neighbors have not suffered a similar fate."

The minister cleared his throat, looked around to the solemn faces of the members of the Wizenagmot, and straightened himself before continuing from his Dispatch Box. "This information, coupled with the information which we have received from the Department of Muggle Relations telling us of "black-outs" from Dover to Canterbury, has led this Ministry of Magic to the conclusion that we face an imminent and massive breach of the International Covenant unless we seek the immediate aid, resources, and assistance of the Imperial Government of the British Empire." Pandemonium struck at once. Members of the lesser families were on their feet screaming obscenities toward muggles and preaching wizarding might, none more vocal than Percival Dumbledore, while the members of the Ancient and Noble Families sat in deep contemplation.

The Minister of Magic saw the Chief Mugwump rise and immediately sat down in respect for the leader of the Chamber and the body assembled. "Order! There will be Order in this chamber at once! Members to my left will calmly be seated and allow the Minister to be heard. Members of this chamber shall observe proper decorum, or face expulsion." The Chief Mugwump struck the floor with his staff three times and the magic of the room carried out his orders; immediately all chatter died, and the Minister was again able to take the floor at the invitation of the seated Mugwump.

"Thank you Master Mugwump. Sirs and Madams," the Minister addressed the Lesser Families specifically, "I know that the idea of seeking the aid of the Muggles would seem repugnant to some, but the Muggles have the numbers and resources we lack currently to assist our efforts to remain separate from their society. It is the request of this government before this body that in my capacity as Minister for Magic, that I be given charge to temporarily rejoin the Prime Minister's Cabinet as well as seek the aid of His Imperial Majesty, King George, as was done under Minister McKinnon during the Great War."

"I ask for the urgent and immediate assistance of the Wizenagmot in fulfilling this request of the government." Minister Henry Bones stated as he sat down and awaited the deliberations of the Chamber. As always, the actions of the Wizenagmot were dependent on the will of the Ancient and Noble Families. While the Lesser Families had the power of numbers, their magic was not recognized as "governing magic" by the chamber and until such time as the magic of the family was recognized as being mature, stable, and powerful enough to support the covenant of separation, and the International Covenant, the family would be kept as a Lesser Family until magic itself judged the family ready to serve its will.

The Chief Mugwump stood and addressed the assembly. "Members of the Wizenagmot, our government has come before us with a recommendation of action and has requested the support and aid of the magic which encompasses our lands. As the Ministry of Magic derives its governing powers from the will and consent of this body, I ask that you as individual members fully consider the requested action before you, and begin debate immediately on this urgent situation. The Leader of the Elder Council of Ancient and Noble Families is recognized."

An elderly woman approached her Dispatch Box and cleared her throat to get the attention of the chamber. She began, "It is the will of the Elder Noble and Ancient Families that the protection of the Great Covenants be upheld at any cost. As was demonstrated to us in the Great War, we cannot allow ourselves to be exposed to the Muggles at a time when their technology and sciences have progressed to the point of a single muggle capable of genocide on scales even we as mighty wizards would be hard pressed to match. The members of this assembly will recall the wizards returning from the French Front during the War were affected by ailments which caused their magic to mutate and alter the effects of the poison the muggles had introduced them to. Muggles present a great threat to all magical beings, but only if they are provoked into action." The Leader of the Elder Council looked at the Minister of Magic, then the Leader of the Council for Lesser Houses, and finally the Chief Mugwump before continuing.

"Master Mugwump, the might of magic is not in question, and the rights of the individuals which make up our society are not in question. The Minister has made a reasonable request of this assembly for permission to carry out his duties for the betterment and safety of the Wizarding World. Our utmost duties lie to the upholding and protection of the Great Covenants. This request of the Ministry of Magic for the British Empire at its core fulfills that mission." The members of the Ancient and Noble families, for the most part, gave a chorus of agreement as the Leader of the Elder Council spoke and laid the reasons for the support of the decisions of the Ministry.

"The Leader of the Council for Lesser Families is recognized," stated the Chief Mugwump.

"Master Mugwump, the Lesser families assembled here today are not ready to trust the muggles of His Imperial Majesty's Government with the knowledge of our situation," here there were many rounds of agreement from the lesser families. "We are in imminent danger of exposure to the muggles because of a situation that we do not fully understand, nor do we know how to contain it at this time. I don't know about the rest of you but for 300 years my House, the House of Malfoy, has been resident in these isles in order to escape the persecutions of the muggles and peasants on the continent. My family, while young, has fresh knowledge of our loved ones being chased from our homes in France only to be cornered by angry crowds and burned upon a cross of fire for our 'sins.' We lost an entire generation of our children before we were able to properly flee and seek aid and life in our current home of England." Here the Leader looked at the Minister of Magic, the Leader of the Elder Council, and the Chief Mugwump.

"Master Mugwump, while the Ancient and Noble Families, or the Common Families of the population, may not be as closely associated with the purges which took place before and after the implementation of the Great Covenants, but all we need to do today is look to our very recent past, to the Great War, to see that the Muggles have not changed and pose a threat to our existence. Giving the Prime Minister a position of power over our Minister, and exposing our world to his cabinet, would only allow for the violation of the Great Covenant by allowing these muggles in positions of great power to know of our existence."

"If we subject ourselves to muggle rule, it will only be a matter of time before the Prime Minister attempts to allow his Minister for War to begin rounding up our brethren, our wives, and children, into relocation camps and attempt to mold our gifts to suit their military needs. They shall claim we have a duty to be their super soldiers, their killing machines, when we have a duty to NONE!" Here the Lesser Families gave their leader a standing ovation, and the Chief Mugwump was finally able to restore order after some minutes.

"Master Mugwump, the Prime Minister and the Muggle Government does not need to be involved in our lives. We are sworn to the Crown, and to the crown we must turn. We beings of Pure and Noble ancestry do not follow the laws of the Imperial Parliament, nor are we bound do…we are subjects of God, Magic, and the Crown. I say we let the Minister of Magic seek the aid of our neighbors and our colonial allies. Let this matter of the wizarding world be solved by wizards and witches. Let us prove once and for all that our magic is a gift which must be balanced with the good of the world in our minds. It is not good that we risk revealing ourselves to the Muggle Government, it is right and good that we approach our King and ask for his aid and comfort to keep the Muggle Government in line."

"We, the Lessers, feel that the Prime Minister should be advised on the situation at most so that our Misinformation Department can work jointly with their contacts to keep our Covenants intact. That should be the position of the Ministry, and we further believe that the Ministry should not first seek muggle aid for magical situations in the future. This mindset, that the muggles deserve to know, will only lead to the destruction of our society. With that I yield Master Mugwump."

With that the debate began in earnest. For the next four hours the Wizenagmot, its members, and the Ministry of Magic debated the exact course of action that would be taken. When the time came for the Chief Mugwump to call for a vote formalizing and solidifying the position and powers conferred to the Ministry for this situation would follow the majority of the positions and actions as outlined by the Lesser Families, while the Minister would be mandated to brief the PM on the situation every 24 hours until such time as the crisis was resolved. Foreign and Commonwealth magical aid would be sought to resolve this problem, and the Minister of Magic would approach the King to gain his consent for the actions of the Magical Government.

This was one example of the will of magic and the changing times which caused Harry Potter to return to the past. The course was set by this ruling of the Wizenagmot, and the thankfully Harry had some time to ensure that the mistakes of history were not made again, and that the magic of the world was not destroyed by those whom had succeeded in his timeline.

FKSNDKNSDINAS_)))-sdfpindf[nsdfopnpjonapdfnapnwnfwn[andfopnwdfponkspdknsd

**Inside the Odd House**

Eglantine was led down hallways and up stairwells, down others, and through many oddly furnished rooms until she arrived in an office overlooking a library with a great pipe organ. Strangely enough, the room was very bright and had many baubles and appliances that she was unfamiliar with. The guards who had escorted her here, instructed her to take a seat as the man in Emerald would be here shortly. She was offered tea and pastries while she waited, and was told that she was not being forcibly detained, pending the decision of the Lord of the Manor.

Finally, after some time of waiting, the man in Emerald walked into the office, flanked by two guards, and sat behind his opulent and extravagant desk. There was silence for some time where the only interaction of the individuals of the room was the eye contact made and maintained between Eglantine and the odd man.

Frustrated, Eglantine finally broke the silence. "Alright, I've had just about enough of this! Who in the hell are you, what are you, and how are you here?"

The man sat back, smiled and responded with a laugh. "You know Eglantine Price, you have a very firm will and an amazing magic simmering under the surface. I will answer your questions but first I would like a few questions answered as well." Eglantine leaned back in her chair and the man steeped his fingered before leaning over the desk.

"Eglantine, what do you know of the 'Theory of Magical Devolution and Dissipation'?"

Eglantine was somewhat taken aback by the question and took a few moments to answer. "I know that it is a recent theory that some of the Lesser Families of the Wizenagmot have been pushing in regards to how magic influences the strength of families and how muggleborns exist." Seeing the intent gaze of the man in green she continued. "I haven't been paying much attention to the politics or happenings of Magical Britain for some time you see and all I know is that one reason my family has withdrawn from the wizarding world to the extent that we have is because my Grandfather's discovery that magic is dying." Seeing he didn't produce any of the signs she was expecting to see when she mentioned the theory of her grandfather. "As he claimed, the magic of the Earth as we know it has been steadily and markedly declining over the course of the last two centuries, supposedly because of the boom in population of the muggles, as well as their effects on the Earth. He speculated that the magic of the world was slowly being chocked to death by the muggles and magic, in a desperate attempt to bring balance, was the cause for the appearance of muggleborns…not the 'stealing of magic' or 're-emergence of dead lines' that some have preached in years past or present."

The man in green motioned for her to continue, and she was only happy to oblige seeing as so long as she continued, the longer she had to plan a possible defense or escape. "My grandfather believed that the only way to counter the effects of this would be mass exterminations of muggles, starting with those in Asian countries, and moving west. He suspected that at least 200 million muggles needed to die in order for the effects destroying magic to be negated, and a further 100 million to 150 million killed over the course of the next decade in order to begin restoring the power and prominence of magic. Ultimately, he postulated that in 100 years, the Earth's population needed to be only 1.5 billion muggles and the rest magical in order to ensure the continued survival and thriving of magic for another millennium."

"For his postulating that the muggleborns are not stealing magic, he was shunned by the Lesser Families of the Wizenagmot and even though he was a member of an Ancient & Noble line, his peers would not condone the genocide that he was advocating…especially as it would violate the Great Covenants and betray the Crown." Eglantine firmed her resolve before she continued. "The Ancient & Noble hypocrites only care for themselves that the preservation of the status quo. They have no interest in destroying the muggles and ensuring the continuation of magic. Even though I don't believe what my grandfather preached for so many years before he was assassinated for his beliefs, I cannot stand the injustice that was committed to my family. We dedicated ourselves to integrating into the muggle world so we could better understand it, but even all of our time in exile could not satisfy the wounds of time past. My father died without a male heir to carry on the family name, my sister died of tuberculosis when I was nine, and I was barren."

"That sir is what I know of the 'Theory of Magical Devolution and Dissipation', and how it has affected me. Obviously you know me, now may I please have my questions answered?" Eglantine was emotional by this point and was beyond her fear of the oddly dressed man.

The man sat back, turned to his guards and quietly dismissed them. As they were leaving the room he pressed something on his desk and the door closed and locked of its own accord. He stood and walked to the back of the room which overlooked the library and pipe organ. The man turned sharply after gazing to the library for a few moments and posed to his guest, "Shall we retire to the library for a time? In order to answer your questions honestly and fully I would like to do so in a less imposing and more relaxed setting. My library and organ offer me a sense of comfort and ease which I find unmatched anywhere else in the house."

"I am being held here with armed guards…I have no choice in where we go sir."

"Right then," the man said. He touched a section of the class wall and strange images that Eglantine could not decipher appeared. After touching the glass a few times, the glass split seamlessly and retracted into the walls. A balcony suddenly rose into view, probably with magic, and the man motioned for Eglantine to join him in order to descend to the floor several meters below.

"Mrs. Price, my name has changed often over the years. I was born a member of the Ancient & Noble House of Potter, and later adopted into the Ancient & Noble House of Black," here Eglantine looked confused. She knew of no one that could fit such ancestry, but she attributed not hearing of this person to her absence from the wizarding world. "Of course this was all well after your time and the dangers of the world that your grandfather had prophesied came to be." Here Eglantine looked confused. As they exited the lift, the began a slow walk to the massive organ at the end of the library, the stranger called, "Pipe Organ, Moonlight Sonata," and impressively enough, whatever enchantments he had on the massive instrument caused it to come to life and begin the slow strains of the familiar piece. It was not loud or overbearing, but oddly calming and soothing to Eglantine.

"I take it Ms. Price that you know the story of your ancestor, the Dark Witch Rominda which almost succeeded in assassinating the College of Cardinals during a Papal conclave?" Seeing Eglantine nodded, "would you find it odd then that I know that her magic is still in contact with you, and as recently as twelve hours ago you were in contact with her?"

"How could you know that Mr. Potter, or do you prefer Black?"

"I know because of a gift and a curse that I have received from Magic itself Mrs. Price. Have you any knowledge of the Deathly Hallows?" Seeing her nod he continued on, "Suffice it to say I united the Hallows and have become the Master of Death." Eglantine Gasped. "Yes, I know it seems odd, and unbelievable but if you will look in the display case there, you will find all three of the Hallows…however their magic is gone now, never to return."

Her guide pointed to the display case in particular which held several trophies and the Hallows in a prominent position with placards describing each item. "Suffice it to say the legends don't do the actual powers of the Hallows justice. Apparently Magic created the Hallows as a means of finding a wizard worthy of wielding her true power, and commanding the very Angel of Death here on Earth."

"While some would covet and lust for the power that I can wield with but a thought, I would not bear this curse to my direst enemy. When Magic "rewarded" me for passing her tests, I was so consumed by power that I am now no longer human. I may appear so, but the Master of Death can't be an ordinary mortal now can he?" Mr. Potter spoke with a sarcastic lilt in his voice. In the background the soothing melody continued to drone on oblivious to the fantasy that was playing our before Eglantine, embodied in this strange man.

"When I was consumed by the magic, my mind was all that remained. I knew from that instant on, every moment of history whether it be past, present, or future. I saw God's plan for life and stood in awe. I have seen the creation and destruction of this universe and seen the splendor of Heaven and the deepest pits of fire in Hell," her guide stopped and looked out one of the windows they were near which happened to overlook the village. "I am become Death, the Destroyer of Man."

Not believing the story the man was telling, Eglantine decided to play along until she could run for an exit and apparate away. "I would imagine that was a frightful experience Mr. Potter, what with being consumed by magic and being forced to learn everything past, present, and future."

"I know you don't believe me Mrs. Price, but I honestly can't bring myself to care. I find that one of the advantages to being the Master of Death, and no longer human, is that I no longer have the same emotions that you or other people have Madam…nor am I bound by their constraints." Here he looked off again from the window and returned to facing Mrs. Price. "Mrs. Price, believe me or not, I am not from this time period, nor do I intend you or any other witch or wizard harm."

"What do you mean by that sir," Eglantine asked. "Surely if that is true I can't play any role significant in history to merit a great being such as your intervention or interaction."

"Oh my dear," he began, "quite the contrary. You play very prominently in history, and your efforts to serve your King and Country does do a great deal in the protection of the Home Front, as well as the completion of your special research helping to end the Second Great War that will be breaking next year."

Eglantine was flabbergasted. She and Rominda were the only people that knew of the research she was conducting which could aid the nation she loved if the rumors surfacing about Germany were credible. Eglantine had close friends in Germany, and their reports were that the Chancellor, now Fuhrer, was preparing for mobilization to return Germany to prominence.

"How Mr. Potter do you know of my research?"

"Oh hell I am tiring of this needlessly long conversation. Follow me," with that the Potter scion led Eglantine from the library through a side room. Into a hallway, up a stairwell, and into a chapel of some type.

"Really Mr. Potter? A chapel? I would assume the immortal Master of Death would have no need for religion." Eglantine commented to see what her captive would say.

Spinning on his heal and pinning Eglantine forcefully to a nearby column with angelic figures spiraling the masonry, he spoke, "I will give you your disbelief in my story, and I will grant that most have little reason to hope in these times, but I will not tolerate blasphemy against God. If there is one thing that I have learned from my curse it is that we wizards were to be the caretakers for God's paradise here on Earth, yet we have repeatedly failed in our task. I may be cursed with immortality, and I may be tasked as the Master of Death and a servant of Magic, but don't you dare question the existence of Jehovah or His interests in this planet and its people." He let go over her and went to kneel at the altar.

"Forgive me Father my actions this day and forgive my unknowing companion her slight. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all honor, glory, and power is yours. Amen." Signing the cross Mr. Potter stood and bowed to the ornate crucifix on the golden altar before turning back to face Eglantine. "When I became the master of Death I was 17 years old, and I had no say in the matter. I was in battle for my life and that of my friends with an evil sorcerer whom had been corrupted by the blackest of arts, shredded his immortal soul into pieces, and plagued the United Kingdom for the better part of three decades. He will turn eight this year. I was eleven when he attacked my family in the fall of 1981, and when I finally destroyed the last ties he had to this plane of existence it was 1997. It wasn't until 2001 that I fully succumbed to the curse and lost my own humanity." He walked over to a marble tomb standing in an alcove overlooking the altar with an icon of our triumphant savior looking upon it from one of the walls. A single candle burned in the alcove on another, smaller, altar made of onyx. The outline of the figure on the lid of the tomb showed a relatively young man with tousled hair and a lightning bolt on his forehead with his hands folded over his chest holding a cross, with a wand just barely visible on the inside of his robe.

"This Eglantine, is my tomb…the tomb of Harry Potter," stated the man in green who claimed to be the master of death, eternal, and all knowing read from the inscription on the tomb:

**He has gone to the only place where his own works are excelled.**

"My friends chose that in order to properly remember me. They saw me as an old soul aged too soon by the horror of war and responsibilities that were too great to bear; not to mention burdens that were in no way mine to bear. After the war I began to notice the increase in my magic and took the time to add a few wonders to my name. I single handedly rebuild a heavily damaged Hogwarts 13 months after the war was over in order to allow the children of Britain to attend their rightful school. I began courting the youngest child, and only daughter, of Arthur Weasley shortly thereafter and thought we would have a future together. Before our official courtship could end, Magic claimed me, and I woke up in that tomb some 10 years later after being exposed to Magic, the Universe, and God for the time I was 'dead'. I awoke to a changed world. In the course of a decade, the world was a more toxic place full of despair and dread, the magical government of the UK was just as corrupt as I had ever known it, and I was a fictional character to generations of wizards and witches." Here he walked from the alcove and sat on a pew facing the altar.

"I still don't understand why I was chosen, nor do I grasp why I am tasked with my mission…but I understand that I have been tasked to do so, and I aim to fulfill my mission Mrs. Price." He turned to invite her to sit with him. "What you have to understand is that after I awoke I knew I was to take a step back and observe the goings on of the world. While my original body still resides in that tomb, I had the ability to change my appearance at will, even if I am partial to my original looks, so needless to say I was able to blend in with society and over time I came to understand what I was to do. After the first 50 years of observing the actions and workings of Death, I began to notice that fewer witches and wizards were being born to replace the ones that died. Some countries were hit harder faster than others…China suffered particularly staggering losses to their communities, especially with their traditions of magic dating back over 7,000 years. Then after a further hundred years I saw what had happened. There were no more wizards or witches born in any country." Eglantine looked at him in disbelief.

"Your grandfather was right Eglantine, he was just wrong on the timeline."

"But, surely you can't mean that! The magical people of today are far stronger than their parents. Surely that disproves his theory just as the Wizenagmot declared." Eglantine didn't want any part of her grandfather's theory to be true…it one part were true she feared the repercussions and shear cost that the solution to the problem would have on the human population. "How can you be sure that his theory is right? How can you know?"

"Eglantine, have you not been paying attention or do you just choose to ignore what I say? Before I decided to alter the timeline and fulfill my mission I spent time in the muggle world, eventually 'living' to the year 2432 AD and seeing the progress, pitfalls, and dangers of the Muggles. This house is an infusion of their ultra-advanced technology and my magic. I have performed no magic since you arrived here, all that you have seen has been done by muggle technological advances. I have seen humans colonize distant planets and invent a means of sustained space travel which surpasses the speed of light; and all the while I have seen the utter and complete end of the wizarding world on Earth, and with it the last chance humanity had to fulfill God's plan."

"So what are you here to do then? Supposedly you've not even been born yet. Any changes you make now could affect your birth…you could change things to the point that you are no longer born and doing that would prevent you from ever coming back in the first place." Satisfied that she had caught the fool in his lies, she waited for him to sputter and spin another tale to explain who he was.

"Eglantine. I explained that I am no longer Human, the consciousness that was Harry Potter ceased to be in 1997 and his memories, emotions, and very soul were separated from his body and subjected to the combined awesome power of Magic incarnate, the very Universe which is ever expanding and diverse, and God the Creator of All…Harry Potter may not be born in this timeline, but I am not he. I am a servant fulfilling a mission which has the soul of a dead man, his memories, and his characteristics. While I am Harry Potter, I am not. I am the Master of Death, and I AM has charged me to bring balance back into the world."

"So you're going to kill this eight year old Dark Lord, and prevent the further decay of the magical world," Eglantine asked with some apprehension.

"No, I will not be killing Voldemort, or Tom Riddle as he is know now. I plan on impacting his life more positively than he impacted mine, but altering the wizarding world? No. It bears little interest to me. My mission lies in the Muggle World and its destruction."

Dl;fn[SDNC[ANC[NADFN[WN[WNV-D-D—D-D-D-D-D—D

End of Chapter

Reviews would be nice.

:)

There is no beta for this story, so if you find errors, have a cookie. The sigh to site potion was supposed to be Sight to Site potion in the first chapter.

IDK how regular updates will be for this, as this is my senior year now. I hope to begin working on a new chapter for Civil War before the month is out.

How is everyone?


	3. What is Evil?

Disclaimer: I do not own, seek to own, or seek to infringe on the copyright of  
JK Rowling, or of Disney Inc. Read at your own peril, please review.  
Summary: This is my take at an adult crossover between Harry Potter, post DH,  
and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

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May 15, 1937

The atmosphere was tense as the people on the street were constantly rushing  
about. It was as though some brooding omnipresence was hovering over the  
populous. Women were frowning, men were scowling, and children were afraid to go  
outside to play. In an orphanage at the end of a certain street in a certain  
town, a certain young boy was throwing a tantrum to himself.

"The older children don't deserve a holiday! If anything my year mates and I  
have been through just as much as them if not more," thought the young Marcus  
Inglewood whose father had died during the first war and whose mother had died  
two year ago due to a street robbery from Hell. He had no known family and at  
the time was four. That being the case, with no known relations, he was  
relegated to the orphanage and he knew no other life. "I wanted to go to the  
beaches and learn how to swim this summer. It's just not fair that we have to  
wait longer."

An older boy, unbeknownst to Marcus had been listening in on this mini rant and  
decided to make his presence known at that time. He was older than Marcus by at  
least two years, and was a strange boy. He was feared by the older boys of the  
orphanage and most of the younger students have been told to stay away from him,  
not to antagonize him, and to do as he says so long as it wasn't something  
dangerous. His name was Tom, and he enjoyed the position of power he had over  
the other orphans. "So sorry to interrupt your musings young master Marcus, but  
you should know that your year group is scheduled to go to the zoo this month in  
place of the beach," Tom said as he walked into the room and stood in front of  
the window with his back to Marcus. "I remember my year group trip to the zoo.  
It was a most enlightening experience. I learned ever so much about the most  
fascinating creatures; lions, orangutans, cheetah, and reptiles to name a few. I  
dare say you'll have a wonderful time on this trip and you'll hardly miss out on  
the beach as seeing miles of stone and dreary weather is something you can wait  
for." Tom continued to look out the window. Marcus cautiously stood from his bed  
and made his way over to Tom so as to speak to him more clearly.

"Mister Riddle, why are you being nice to me? All of the older students told me  
that you were a meanie that I shouldn't bother." Tom took a moment to turn his  
gaze from the window to look Marcus up and down, as he surreptitiously slipped a  
small pin that was sitting on Marcus's shelf into his pocket. He turned back to  
the window and answered, "I'm not as bad as all the others make me out to be.  
It's true I value my privacy and my space, and I do demand respect. But I also  
recognize that with this respect and authority among my peers I have to consider  
those beneath me, and use my position to not only my benefit but also yours. You  
can't help that you aren't as old or as experienced as me young master Marcus.  
You need not argue with your teachers about not being able to swim this summer.  
This zoo trip is by far something you will enjoy much more. As orphans we carry  
a certain stigma in class, and I'll not have the good name I've managed to build  
up besmirched by one of my kindred seeming weak and petulant. Do you understand  
what I'm saying Marcus," Tom asked as he turned to fully face the slowly paling  
young boy.

"I don't think so Mister Riddle, but why can you tell me what to do?"

Chuckling softly, Tom began to pace and suddenly Marcus felt an overwhelming  
pressure on his shoulders pushing him down back onto his bed. "You're not the  
first person to ask me that young Marcus. When I was your age I had a similar  
conversation with the uppers who were twice my age. We were in the upstairs boys  
lounge at the time, and there were around ten of them, myself, and three young  
girls. One of the boys took a pencil that I was using to draw with, and decided  
that as my mother was, "…some common whore who'd slept with a demon," was the  
reason that strange things happened to me and I as demonic spawn didn't deserve  
to do normal things like normal children. He sauntered over, slapped me from my  
chair and snapped my pencil. I'll not share with you with you what happened, or  
how I did it, but I was the only person to walk out of that room without some  
broken bone, and poor Trenton fell down the stairs from the fifth floor two  
weeks later. It was a real tragedy."

Little Marcus felt increasingly afraid of Tom as he knew he was dangerous. He  
didn't understand what this story had to do with why he couldn't go to the beach  
or why he shouldn't be unhappy, but he had the innate sense to know to keep his  
mouth shut about what Tom meant. He'd get an older year to explain what Tom was  
saying later.

Tom stopped his slow pacing, and sat down on the bed opposite Marcus's. "I see  
it in your eyes Marcus, you don't understand me. Let me spell it out. You as an  
orphan reflect on me in your studies and behavior. I don't know about you but I  
plan on being someone when I get out of this hell hole, and to do that I need to  
have a good reputation. A good reputation is ruined if some whiney little rat  
like you is constantly running about crying over everything. We're both in this  
together, and you will act like a damn Englishman and put on a stiff upper lip  
or I'll beat it into you why you need to. Are we understood." Marcus just  
nodded, and started shaking. Satisfied that he'd made his point Tom left the  
room and set about going to the local library. He had some Latin assignments due  
for the sisters and he was set on making sure that his translation was to be as  
accurate, if not more so, than that of the teacher herself.

Tom may not necessarily agree with all of the methods of the Sisters of Mercy  
whom taught him and the other orphans, but he knew that this education was  
something that the street urchins weren't offered. If there was one thing that  
Tom was certain on, it was that he was destined for greatness…and he'd be damn  
sure that no one would stand in his way, or devalue his chances through their  
own stupid acts.

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Over the course of the last three days things had settled down in the Ministry  
of Magic for the British Empire. The Wizenagmot had met in executive session  
each evening to be briefed by the Minister of Magic and his cabinet as to the  
muggle reaction and what the Department of Misinformation was doing. Once again  
the Wizenagmot had convened for the purpose of making a major decision as to  
governmental policy.

"The Leader for the Elder Council of the Noble and Ancient Houses is  
recognized," the Chief Mugwump said as he returned to the King's throne.

"My Lord and Ladies of the Elder Council, Sirs and Madams of the Lesser  
Families, and Mister Minister and members of the Cabinet. I rise today to thank  
the members opposite for their support in the compromise policies which helped  
avert a national crisis the likes of which would have brought into question  
Britannia's ability to remain a signatory to the Great Covenant and other  
international treaties. For this the members opposite, and our government,  
deserves credit and recognition by the wizarding public." The Lady waited as  
there was scattered applause from the member galleries which overlooked the  
chamber and members of the wizarding press were standing as well as their  
dictation quills scribbled away recording her words. It was very rare that the  
powerhouse of the chamber recognized the minority power in such a manner and as  
such the Minority rose as one and in recognition of Leader Malfoy's abilities  
gave him a rounding cheer and ovation. After the Chief Mugwump re-established  
order the Leader of the Elder Council Continued.

"We stand on a precipice now, and the slightest wrong step shall see us, and our  
society fall. My sources in the muggle government report rumors of war on the  
horizon, and with the Muggle Prime Minister coming to see our Minister as  
subservient to his Government may come to the erroneous conclusion that this  
incident has given the muggle world some right to exorcise dominion over the  
magical world." There were boos and hisses at this, but the leader continued  
without the need to apply a vocal enhancement charm to herself. "With the  
assistance of our colonial personnel we have been able to shore our defenses,  
upgrade our sensory net, and have laid the foundations for new protections in  
vital wizarding centers of commerce, government, and habitation the likes of  
which have not been seen since the reign of Henry IV. We are stronger now than  
we have ever been, and I've been told by the Chief Legislative Liason for the  
Department of Mysteries, Magics, and Mysticism that our important cultural  
centers have been warded in such a manner as the danger's posed to Britainnia by  
the Great War are not likely to be much of a threat to us now. Recent events  
have shown us our own vulnerabilities and instead of lingering in our own  
hubris, we are now more independent of the muggles and safer from the threats  
that they represent!" Thunderous applause rose at this, and the Minister of  
Magic and the mentioned liaison rose to bow to the applause as was customary.

"We now have a choice my fellow members of the Wizenagmot. Shall we allow our  
ministry to continue to be observed and possibly subverted by our muggle  
counterparts whom are likely to drag us into war," an impossibly loud NO!  
answered her mid-speech, but the Leader continued on, "or are we to stand strong  
and independent safe from the ravages of time that the Great Compact has assured  
us for almost a half a millennium?"

"The muggles have buried their heads in the sands and only the squib descendent  
of our own Duke of Marlborough seems to have any sense. His blood may have  
become too tainted by muggle filth to retain any magic, but our superior  
wizarding rational has bred true. At least he can see the writing on the wall  
and the dangers that a war in Europe will have for our Empire which the muggles  
have allowed to become weak and indefensible. But we wizards have proven  
definitively that the might of magic is absolute, and we have taken steps to  
secure our holdings and the wizarding utopias that we have been able to  
establish in the colonies. More so, we have contacted our European, American,  
and Eastern European neighboring states and warned them or war on the horizon  
and surely they will have time to secure the dragon, giant, and creature  
preserves and magical forests which the entire magical world relies upon for our  
survival and evolution."

"While the muggles continue to tinker with their sciences and their politics  
which lead to death and destruction, we are finally making a breakthrough with  
our international counterparts on project Atlantis which will see the creation  
of a safe haven which runs the length and breadth of the majority of the  
Atlantic Ocean, and its sister project Operation Nautilus in the Pacific Ocean."  
A healthy round of applause met this statement.

"Think of it my Lords. The collective magical societies of Earth finally free  
from persecution and safe from attack beneath the seas of commerce and  
exploration which once held such hope for us with the discovery of the new  
world. The international arithmetic team has estimated that the runic schema  
which will take the pressure of the water to reinforce the strength of the  
protective dome will be completed within three years, and initial testing has  
proven that a 9 meter sphere can not only survive a trip to the bottom of the  
floor of the middle of the Atlantic, but registered as being stronger than the  
hardest diamond could ever hope to be. In fact I've received reports that the  
initial testing vessel's protective shield actually crystalized around the test  
ship and created a new element which is more magically reactive than the fabled  
mythril of Atlantis. The advances that our involvement with international  
treaties and the Great Covenant cannot be minimalized, nor the future benefits  
to our kind downplayed."

"It is time for a marked change from the status quo. No longer can we stand by  
as the muggles would attempt to destroy our world. To this end, the Elder  
Council has drafted a resolution of this body, which we ask unanimous approval  
of. It is a letter to His Most Imperial Majesty King George VI. and it is a  
resolution seeking the formal dissolution of the ties of the Magical portion of  
the British Empire from our world. At present it is a "polite request" which  
should be delivered by our Minister of Magic, his Cabinet, and our leadership in  
this chamber assembled. It is time that His Majesty realized that the magical  
peoples of the British Empire are tired of the dangers posed by the muggle  
lifestyle and their free reign over our development and flourishing must end. I  
ask for your support of in this matter and a unanimous vote on the appended  
resolution." The Leader sat down as in utter silence as the weight of her motion  
sat upon the Lesser Families and all others present in the chamber.

Then from one of the galleries it started. A slow trepid clap, that soon was  
joined by another across the chamber, until Percival Dumbledore himself stood  
and weeping bowed to the Leader of the Elder Council and then the dam broke and  
the Ministry building itself came to a standstill as workers heard a distinct  
rumble and odd noise that no one was accustomed to hearing. In the Atrium of the  
Ministry of Magic where the fountain of Magical Ascension stood, the mace which  
had been given to the Wizenagmot by William the Conqueror was released by the  
wizarding archbishop that was depicted as holding it perpendicular to his  
crosier. The mace fell in a foreshadowing of the changes to come. Most wizards  
whom saw the statue would not understand the significance of the event. But  
those that did would be bolstered by the coming freedom it promised.

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Eglantine had been a guest in this palace for the last three days. She was  
ushered into a guest wing of the palace and was shocked to find most of her  
belongings which had survived the magical storm had been transferred to the  
series of rooms under her control. She was overjoyed to find a fully revived  
Rominda puttering about and mouthing off about not being able to leave her frame  
or commute to London any more.

"I don't care what that…that….creature told you Eglantine. You're a prisoner  
here, even if the wing more than makes up for your cottage," Rominda repeated  
again in an argument that had lasted between the two from the moment she'd waken  
in this place and Eglantine had explained the storm. "I don't like that he's  
made it so that you can't leave here by any means, even if he has given you  
complete control over the majority of this wing of his palace…and  
that…technological monstrosity that he uses to monitor you," "He isn't  
specifically monitoring me Rominda, it's just a very sophisticated piece of  
technology that is connected to the rest of the house," Eglantine said before  
Rominda could finish her sentence.

"I know what you are thinking Rominda, but he's shown me pensive memories.  
Pensive memories Rominda, and they were not forged. He took veratiserum and  
answered every question I had with regards to what his plans were to me. He's  
even assigned personal guards to me to act as my staff for when I'm allowed to  
regain my position in the community. He's apologized for the damage done to my  
home and has offered to have a replacement constructed overlooking the sea if I  
want it." Eglantine walked to one of the windows which faced the gardens.  
"Rominda he's shown me that the war that's coming will have a terrible impact on  
the wizarding world, and the development of humanity unless he intervenes. He  
told me of the death toll of the coming Second World War, of decades of cold war  
after that, the dangers of nuclear weapons, Voldemort, the Eugenics Wars, and  
interstellar war with an enemy we'd never even seen … not to mention the  
negative impact this had on wizarding society. Harry said that the wizards and  
witches of the world were supposed to have withdrawn from the landmasses and  
retreated to the safety of the ocean depths long before the decline of magic  
ever began in earnest. It was to be this purely magical society that would have  
led to a millennium of advancement, to the point of triggering an evolutionary  
event that would change the course of humanity forever."

"But Gridewald, Hitler, Dumbledore, Voldemort, and the pollution of magic via  
muggleborns in magic's efforts to balance the over population of Earth couldn't  
save the magical race once our leading scientists were all killed for the  
breakthroughs that they had made, or were making. Harry says that his forces  
have prevented three raids already which had in his time dealt a crippling blow  
to the magical world as far as societal advances were concerned. According to  
the historical records that he's shared with me the Wizenagmot was attacked on  
11 May, 1937 and most of the Ancient and Noble Families wiped out by German  
assassins whom were sent by Grindewald supporters to prevent a vote on the  
joining of the Muggle and Magical governments of Britannia during the Second  
World War. It was a historical irony to see that it was that very event which  
caused the now in power Lesser Families to lapse in their policies for the  
duration of the war and champion the muggles as they dealt Hell to the Germans."

"Eglantine, you know as well as I do that his tampering with history can lead to  
no good! By what right does one man have to meddle with the very fabric which  
binds creation together? He claims to be a god, but in truth he's at best  
suffering from delusions of adequacy."

"Rominda, you can't possibly see what he's shown me so I'll leave it at this.  
The future he comes from is one in which magic is dead because the wizarding  
world abandoned the calls of magic and integrated with the muggle world. Their  
technology was adapted to utilize our magic, and ultimately in our hubris of  
believing we have achieve the age of unity, we were butchered by the thousands  
so that our "genes" could be cultivated and grafted into super soldiers. Nuclear  
war reigned as these weapons going off with the energy and radiation of a sun  
destroyed the magic of the blast site, and sucked the magic from all living and  
innate things in its path. Most magical species were lost, even the Goblins died  
off for the most part when the radiation leaked into their caverns."

"Eglantine the man destroyed your house! Your work is gone, and you can't even  
go to the village to check in on your friends; wake up and smell the coffee my  
dear. He's bewitched you into some type of compliance!"

"Rominda, just because I've chosen to accept what he has said as truth does not  
mean that I've given up on my own plans. Harry has explained to me that part of  
the temporal magics that he used erased not only the castle from this time, but  
also people's memory. The same thing happened to my house. The only thing that  
saved you and I from erasure were the incredibly strong warding crystals that  
were powering the rune schema that protected my lab. To the villagers I've never  
existed…as a matter of fact, Harry informs me that I likely haven't even married  
my husband now, and I've no way of knowing the impact that this is going to have  
for me." Eglantine sat in one of the overstuffed chairs by the fired over which  
Rominda hung. "I've been given several shocks dear, I need time to adjust to  
them, to plan, and to recover. Harry has kindly offered to allow me residency  
here with complete access to these apartments, the grounds, and his extensive  
technologies and libraries on the one condition that I not interrupt his plans  
for the muggle world."

"Really Eglantine, and what plans are those? Has he invited you to come along  
with him to stave off atrocities? Are you going to be his companion as you right  
the wrongs that History's wrought?"

"No Rominda I'm not. I've made an unbreakable vow to his condition," Rominda  
scowled, "and I've pledged him my aid."

"An unbreakable vow…now I know you're daft woman. I wash my hands of you. …  
Well, what are his plans then? What is he going to do to solve this muggle  
problem? Is he going to raise some dark lord to cull the muggles?"

There was a long silence as Eglantine stared into the fire. After a few minutes  
Eglantine finally broke the silence. "No Rominda, he's not. He's going to kill  
as many as he can. As of 2:30 this morning 3 different highly contagious, and  
extremely fatal viruses were released in Asia, the United States, and Germany  
which he somehow manufactured to not impact those of us whom carry the "magical  
gene." He's predicting that a quarter of the Earth's population will be dead by  
years end."

"My God. Eglantine. He's a monster."

"I know Rominda, but He is what the wizarding world needed him to be, and what  
the muggles forced him to become. He's our once and future savior, and our  
current hope to save the entire magical race."

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**Atlanta Constitution-Journal May 29, 1931 **

**Vol. XXVI Is. 155**

**BREAKING NEWS ON MYSTERIOUS FLU **

The President speaks on the strange illness that has swept the country, similarly to the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918. 

Mr. Roosevelt was speaking from an undisclosed location, along with most of the Congress and his Cabinet, about the strange illness which first was reported on 12 days ago, but which has spread faster than ever thought possible and has left most of the infected lying at St. Peter's Doorstep. The President's Secretary of Health has advised that all people remain in your homes, forgo large crowds, and avoid anyone whom is showing symptoms. This is officially a national emergency.

All public events are to be avoided, and if you must traverse into cities or areas where people are in large concentrations, wear some-type of protective masking which can normally be found at your local RX drug-stores, or in a pinch you can take some tightly woven material, ideally cotton, and later it into a mask around your face.

Scientists are baffled as to where this virus has come from. Dr. Richard Vermussen, a virologist and expert who teaches at the prestigious and internationally known Johns Hopkins University, was questioned via telephone about how serious of a risk this poses to the public. He had the following to say:

"_We just don't know enough about this virus to give any concrete answers. It has shown up out of nowhere, and is fighting all of the drugs that we currently have in our arsenal to combat pandemic type strains. Penicillin isn't affecting it, and that has us pulling our hair out by the roots because there is nothing anywhere which is an anti-biotic, a medicine that fights off the things in our bodies which make us sick, that is stronger than penicillin._"

When asked as to what should be done for those that are infected or thought to be infected Dr. Vermussen stated, "_Make them comfortable, and give them supplies to last 48-72 hours and seal them in a room away from everyone else whom is not sick. Do not allow an uninfected person to treat the infected as there is a 100 percent chance that the healthy individual will catch this virus. It may seem cruel, but we have identified the Pandemic, and now we have to minimalize the casualties that this act of God will be reaping from us._"

My readers, there are roughly 130 million people living in these United States, and there are predictiona, conservative predictions, that at least 2 million people, mostly the old and the extremely young, have died from this virus already worldwide. Unless some miracle and breakthrough of science occurs soon we are likely to see half of the US population dead, or dying, by the end of next month. Avoid major cities if you can, stay in from work. The Governor of Georgia has declared a State of Emergency, along with most other Eastern Seaboard states, and has mobilized the State's Militia to assist in the evacuation of the state government in Atlanta to some undisclosed area along the coast.

Reports so far indicate that at least three members of the Georgia House of Representatives and five members of the Georgia Senate have fallen victim to this virus. All members of the Georgia Supreme Court have fallen ill, and two members we are able to confirm died in St. Joseph's influenza ward yesterday evening. There is no word from the Governor on who he will pick, or when he will pick, replacements for these two champions of the law.

The Associated Press reports that the death toll in New York City is climbing north of 2,000, Chicago is just now seeing measures put into place to isolate the sick and quarantine the city. California has reported 127 deaths related to this flu and the Alaska and Hawaii Territories have reported no cases thus far. The Provincial governors of those two territories have been informed of the situation here in the United States, and we at the Journal-Constitution are among the first to report that Hawaii has deployed all of her ships from Peal Harbor to encircle the Island, and have deployed along the US's Pacific waterways, to prevent any infected seafarers from further adding to this crisis.

Congress voted last night in secret session to institute a general quarantine of the American Boarders to foreign travelers, and in this quarantine all entrants will be denied. The Army has been reported to have mobilized on several Eastern towns stretching from Maine to Virginia, and the President has authorized the Governors of all boarder states to mobilize their state militias to use deadly force to ensure that the will of Congress is enforces.

In Mobile Alabama Governor Dixon's Fighting Reb's 35th infantry division were seen securing the port city clad in front line gas-masks left over from the Great war. Tanks have been reported in the streets of Birmingham suppressing an uprising from the Negros over their perceived super exposure to the virus and lack of available medical treatment for their sick. Jeremiah Tompkins, of the Tuskegee Institute, has called for all Colored Alabamians to follow the directions of the Federal Government and Governor Dixon and to refrain from congregating in crows, to stay inside If possible, and avoid the sick.

That sounds like advice that all people need to heed in this time Citizens. This is an event that will go down in history as one which was a turning point for humanity. Pray that we can overcome this terrible situation.

~_Alton Meyers Editor in Chief_

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**Atlanta Constitution-Journal June 7, 1931 **

**Vol. XXVI Is. 164**

**Martial Law Sweeps Europe, Asia, United Kingdom, and America! President Roosevelt dead for over a week and still no word from President Garner! **

Soviet Union Descends into Anarchy over death of Party Elites; Nazi Party struggles to maintain power in wake of passive response to health crisis; King George VI Dies, Elizabeth Queen at 10, Conservatives swept from Parliament as Liberals promise to institute National Health Service to combat Sickness.

Citizens,

Our world is in chaos. There is no other way to describe it. Last month I addressed you with some hope that there was a fighting chance that we would be able to overcome this plague; and yes it is a plague of biblical proportions.

When this story first broke in Mid-May we at the Journal-Constitution were hopeful that this would blow over as the summer plodded along, and that people would hear our warnings and avoid crowded cities, but that was not to be the case. When the state of national emergency hit on the 29th of that same month, we began to get nervous as to what impact this was going to have on our beloved city of Atlanta and our people in Georgia.

We are sad to report, that this will be the last issue of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for some time. The death toll in Atlanta alone has been devastating. Almost half of our population is dead to this retched flu, and of the 90,000 or so citizens left, none can risk infection. We are in the midst of a global collapse and constitutional crisis.

As many as have died from the virus, more are being killed by the bullets of the panicked militias and the army trying to protect the few "safe" areas where the virus has not penetrated. We have no idea if there is even a state government anymore, as all contact was lost with the Governor after the firebombing of his compound in Glynn when it was discovered that he and his aides were hoarding the state's gold reserves.

The General Assembly has lost all but 15 Senators, and is down to some 90 members of the House, and as such can't constitutionally pass any measures until elections have been called to refill the vacant seats. Chief Justice Jackson, the loan remaining member of the Supreme Court, has been under Military protection since he was attacked by an angry mob of vagrants last Thursday.

Bill Henderson, chairman of the House sub-Committee on Cotton Industry, is the most senior member of the House of Representatives and has been recognized by the Commander-General of the Georgia State Guard as the Acting-Governor from the line of succession which was described in the Constitution. He was sworn in by Chief Justice Jackson at an undisclosed location and the Militia has broken off efforts to coordinate with Washington over a national response to this catastrophe in an effort to save what few people are left in this state from the broken policies of a dead President which were doomed to failure. We simply as a country were not prepared to face this tragedy.

President Garner, whom was tasked with helming the country after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, has been conspicuously silent in the last week and there has been no legitimate means by which the media can contact him. He is rumored to be harboring with what is left of Congress in Alaska. The last radio transmission which had come from our nation's capital was short lived as the Speaker of the House informed us of the President's death, and the Vice President's rise only to then have the message be lost due to static before the New President could speak. There have been rumors of open warfare in the streets of Washington D.C., and further rumors that the smaller states which didn't garner the attention of those like New York, Virginia, and North Carolina when the virus first struck have left the Union and are protecting their boards in a manner similar to that being taken by Governor Henderson.

Have we finally come to the end of our Union? Only time will tell; but that same time has not been kind for our allies around the world.

Britain has been hit especially hard as most of the merchant class and aristocrats have fallen to the virus. The King was reportedly ill this past Monday, and just yesterday we have learned he died in his London residency. The new Queen of England was his eldest daughter Elizabeth, whom is ten years old. She will be one of the youngest monarchs in the country's history, and hopefully not the last.

Tory Party has been trounced out of London over their weak response to the plight of the poor and infected, and of the forty remaining members of the Tory Party Winston Churchill has been elected as their Leader to stand against the crushing tide of the Liberal's victory. The Labour Party lost all membership in the House of Commons over their former leaders apparent comments that he "planned to ride this virus straight into Downing Street." It was quite the scandal that the former leader unleashed upon himself by favoring politics over the wellbeing of his people.

The Liberal Party has enacted laws instituting a general quarantine around several key areas of London, and has begun a strict program to be implemented throughout the Empire by which the infected are executed and their bodies burned; this is a policy which has been adopted from the Communist response to the epidemic and the Soviets have so far been able to minimalize the spread of the virus at the expense of a quarter of their remaining population to the cold kiss of death created by a bullet to the temple's loving embrace.

Most of Asia is currently in a civil war, and with the death of the Japanese Imperial Family, the military command structure has seized the opportunity to invade China and has thus far claimed vast swaths of the eastern portion of China in the name of the Fallen Imperial Family. A surviving cousin to the Emperor is scheduled to be crowned sometime in the next week.

Meanwhile in Nazi Germany Chancellor Hitler's grip on the Reichstag has severely slipped as the country's Christian-Democratic Party has swept into major positions of power and has begun negotiations to enter into a coalition style government with the members of the former minority party, The People's Populist Party, and has promised a swift response from their coalition government to the health crisis over the failed policies of the Nazi's to blame the Jews of Europe for all of the country's woes. Chancellor Hitler was seen for the first time in months addressing the Reichstag in a business suite and tried earnestly to gain the allegiance of the PPP to not ally with the Christian-Democrats as such a power shift would destabilize what little remained of the governmental infrastructure outside of the Military. "_… the people elected you it is true my friends,_" the Chancellor said to the assembly, "_but they also believe in the purification goals of National Socialism and your plans to decentralize the government and respond to this crisis can only hurt the existing response to the plague and the plight of the people. I implore you all to think of the Fatherland first and foremost and assist me in God's quest to eradicate the foe which we are being punished for allowing to continue to exist in Germany. God is punishing us for not acting sooner, and harsher toward this Menace._"

Two days from that speech the Christian-Democrats and PPP announced a new coalition agreement and the Nazis were relegated to the minority opposition. The New government has a 45 member lead on the National Socialist Worker's Party now, and the new Chancellor of Germany has begun transitioning secret camps established under Hitler into mass graves for the dead and dying as what has become the worldwide solution to the plague lies not in medicine, but in a hastened death.

At the start of our coverage of this plague 2 million people had died worldwide. That was a mere 23 days ago. As of this printing leading experts agree that the estimate of 45 million people dead worldwide is a conservative number, and the US is poised to see that many or more die in the next two months alone if a similar strategy for dealing with the infected adopted worldwide is not imposed here.

With the number of US dead close to 20 million already that isn't that hard to believe.

As the ashes of the Constitution begin to settle, dear readers, it is only likely that whatever government survives this event will justify the previous' actions as being necessary for the greater good or for the survival of humanity. We print here and now that we agree with this philosophy and beg our federal government to save those of us left!

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July 5, 1937

Harry Potter sat inside his office overlooking his library and observed almost absolute silence of radio broadcasts on Earth. His plan to eradicate a decent chunk of the muggles had gone far better than he had envisioned and so far most continents had been plunged into a new middle age as their industrial developments were no longer a help to them.

In the United State and Canada, most of North America actually, society was barely being held together by the various militaries which existed in their respective states, but the civilian population was in complete anarchy. Food production had come to a standstill, and there was no longer a central government to oversee rationing or equitable distribution of goods. A few powerful business moguls had seized the opportunity and instituted a type of feudal control system throughout the country as to their estates and the production of food crops. The military had decided to fight to maintain the quarantines exposed and were successful in their efforts after a small coup which did away with the ideologue President Garner and a the General of the Armies was elected from among the branches to lead the country out of this crisis.

Harry predicted that it would be at least five years before things settled down enough for the USA to deal with the fall out of the plague, and wrestle the 10 states which had seceded back into the Union. Britain was almost in the same shape as the US, but surprisingly it was Scotland that had rebelled instead of the Irish as he had predicted. The Scots would not be ruled by a "toddler" queen or her government and had reinstated the Stuart line as their sovereigns. The Liberal Government saw more pressing matter to deal with than the Scotts push for freedom, even though the Conservative Opposition was calling for each Colony to send a regiment of troops to help ensure that the Empire didn't start to crumble before their Empress could see the dawning of her first decade. The Irish had surprisingly became rather close with the British due to the ravages of the plague.

The Irish population had been hit especially hard as the planters were not able to tend the fields, and as international trade came to a grinding halt the country was starving. The Imperial Parliament had taken to this issue like a fish to water and the fertile lands of Australia and India had been tasked with growing food in isolation for the Empire. So far, with the Army Engineering Corps tasked with creating irrigation in areas such as Pakistan and the aired regions of Australia, but these policies were paying off and Harry predicted that some form of stability and normalcy would return to the British Empire within two months.

International and Global war had been averted which would have devastated the wizarding world, and the muggle population would take at least three generations to regain the momentum that they had prior to his actions; but then again he'd be ready to intervene again if he needed to.

Pushing a certain section of his desk he called for his personal secretary. "Yes Mr. Potter. How can I be of assistance."

"Agetha, I need you to get into contact with the International Confederation of Wizards. Tell them to schedule a Grand Conclave of all nations as I have an important message to deliver to the Wizarding world which can't wait."

"Yes Mr. Potter. I will impress upon them that this is a meeting which is necessary and your request must be granted."

"Thank you Agetha, and send in Marshall; I have a speech to work on."

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End of Chapter 3


	4. Master of Death

Disclaimer: I do not own, seek to own, or seek to infringe on the copyright of JK Rowling, or of Disney Inc. Read at your own peril, please review.

Summary: This is my take at an adult crossover between Harry Potter, post DH,  
and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

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July 24, 1937

Very few members of the wizarding world understand how the International Confederation of Wizards actually works and operates. First and foremost it is a body that is used to recognize and rank powerful individuals whom are, if powerful enough, sanctioned by the ICW to speak on behalf of their home country. Members are given several items which signify their membership, but there are two which are normally kept within easy reach at all time. The first item would be the chain of office. This chain is made up of gold, precious stones, and has an ornamental center which hangs like a pendant, or pectoral cross, over the wearer's heart which has a large gemstone which signifies the wearer's rank.

Blue represents the rank of Warlock. These individuals are above average magically, when compared to their average countrymen, but are not capable of performing high levels of magic when compared with the other ranks of the ICW. Warlocks, being slightly above average magically, are normally merchant class individuals, businessmen, or high ranking bureaucrats. The membership of the ICW that is comprised of warlocks represents 50 percent of the total membership, and is a significant voting block.

The color red represents the rank of Sorcerer. These individuals are, on average, two to three times more likely to be proficient with the ability to perform profound feats of magic which the ordinary witch or wizard would not be capable of doing on a regular basis, or with ease, as these individuals can. Forty-Five percent of the ICW's membership is comprised of these remarkable individuals whom are the magical innovators of the world, and the craftsmen of the future.

The color white represents the rank of Grand Sorcerer. These are the men and women whom are the most magically gifted of their nation, and are elected to this position from amongst their peers to intercede on their people's behalf at the altar of magic in the grand chambers of the ICW temple. The remaining five percent of the ICW's membership are a part of this group and make up the governing council of the ICW which creates uniform model laws which member's take back to their home countries to recommend their implementation. This governing body is recognized internationally as being autonomous and with the right to make and accept treaties, but with no permanent home as it moves from host nation to host nation every 20 years.

The Second item is one that most members keep somewhere on their person at all times. It is a small enchanted and highly magical gemstone. Some members have the stone made into a ring, others chose a pendant, while others still found other means by which to keep the stone with them…some even going so far as to embed the stone in the grip of their wands to keep it within easy reach. These stones acted as a portkey which was used to summon members to the ICW temple and allowed safe passage through the temple wards. The stone would heat one hour before a meeting was to start, and by that time members were to make themselves ready to depart. Arrival times are determined by the wizard's rank.

There were roughly 5,000 witches and wizards gathered in the ICW temple which hovered between the peaks of the Alps on this day, and most of the membership was confused as to the purpose of this meeting as the last meeting had only been the week prior.

From the ranks of the Sorcerers a 56 year young Albus Dumbledore emerged wearing the ceremonial garb befitting his office, and proudly displaying the accents of red used to indicate his rank as a Sorcerer.

"I say Belinda my dear, have you heard what this meeting is about? It's a bit unusual to call us all together after such a short break isn't it," Dumbledore asked to his friend of many years Belinda Bagshot, a talented witch whom was a relative of the eminent scholar Bathelda Bagshot.

"I daresay Albus, that I have no idea. I have heard rumors that this may have something to do with the muggles and the problems that are facing them at the moment, but I'm willing to wager that this has something to do with Project Atlantis. Maybe they've finished early and instead of making us wait another month, they've decided to spill the beans now to give us something good to take back to our respective countries."

"Wouldn't that be something Belinda," Dumbledore smiled at the remark as he knew Belinda was teasing him. Both of them had contributed occasionally to the research going into the Project, but neither were ever given status reports of updates on the total project. It was a running joke between the two as to when they would be called again to help, and when the final date of completion would be.

"Have you heard of what Gellert's been up to Albus?"

"I haven't been keeping up with his exploits as well or as closely as I used to Belinda. I've been approached by Headmaster Dippet to take up the Transfiguration post at Hogwarts. For the last several weeks I've been working on lesson plans, reviewing texts for the different year groups, and arranging demonstration materials and supplies for when I take over the post. What have you heard Belinda?" Dumbledore led Belinda over to one of the alcoves which lined the temple transepts where the other Sorcerers were arriving which afforded them a measure of privacy.

"From what my sources in Spain have been able to gather, he's gained quite a few substantial and influential followers from the Mediterranean whom aren't apt to disclose their identities or meet in the same city twice." Dumbledore frowned at this well aware that Gellert could be very charismatic and charming in bringing about supporters to his cause. "I've heard so far that he has recruited some of the foremost experts in the dark arts, potions research, and runic magics to his cause…whatever that may be. I've also heard that he may have been responsible in some way for the fires that started in Barcelona and Paris last month that almost destroyed the cities. Supposedly, these were cities that had proven quite resistant to his recruitment efforts."

"I don't know Belinda. Gellert does have an agenda, but it is outside his character to do such damage to potential sources of support. The occasional villiage raid, a few mysterious deaths here or there, and blackmail yes, but the uninhibited slaughter of thousands which would likely come to his aid? That's not in Gellert's plans. He is seeking to unite the wizarding world and secure us from the muggles. He wouldn't move so openly or brazenly. It's more than likely that those fires were a result of the plight of the muggles. I've heard that that the muggles have taken to interning their dead in mass graves or mass cremation pits to combat this illness which is sweeping through the major cities."

"That's another thing Albus, the Prophet and the other major papers have massively glossed over the effect this virus has had on the muggles. I've heard that the muggle governments outside the empire or on the verge of collapse, or have already descended into anarchy. The innovations of the last 100 years are falling apart and our international neighbors are going to feel the strain of ensuring that the chaos of the muggle's world doesn't bleed over into ours."

"Why hasn't this been disseminated among the general populous of the ICW? I can see why it would be folly to relay this information to the general populous, but why haven't we all been informed of this?" Dumbledore paused as he began to pace and stroke his full auburn beard. "I assume this came from your usual source on the Grand Council?"

Belinda nodded in confirmation, and Dumbledore sat back down beside her.

"Belinda, you know my position on being involved with the muggles but we have to consider doing something to help the governments maintain order."

"I know Albus! What can we do though? We are governed by the Great Covenant and other binding treaties that prevent such open involvement with the muggles." Belinda scowled glanced around to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation before continuing. "I've heard that we may be taking a vote on the repeal of high profile treaties that are in effect now Albus. I don't know how I feel about that."

Dumbledore sat back and took a few moments to think about the implications of this new tidbit of gossip. "I can see your hesitation Belinda, but what I'm confused on is the suddenness of this meeting. You know as well as I do that we normally meet with our Grand Sorcerer's a week before these meetings to go over the agenda so as to allow proper debate and positions to take place among our delegation. I wasn't summoned to any such meeting, so I doubt we will be voting today. I recall a few years back that my father was speaking about being summoned in a similar matter for an address by a high ranking member forewarning of the Great War that was spreading like a cancer amongst us."

"Maybe you're right Albus. Whatever this meeting is about, we need to make our way to our seats in the delegation."

"Let's go Belinda. Only by leaping, in this instance, can we truly find what we can't see by looking." He smiled as he extended his arm to his friend and led her to their seats in the massive naïve of the temple complex.

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"Harken all whom come to hear, the will of magic far and near; the folly of man to be found in greed, his glittering gold is proof indeed, his toils and trials and burdens too, our voice as one shall answer you. Give sanction to our meeting here, and lend a light to extinguish fear. Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow, Guide us in our pursuit of truth, justice, and peace. _Amen_."

The ritual prayer complete, the torches, chandeliers and candelabras lit in a dramatic display at the conclusion of the Supreme Sorcerer whom was the vested leader of the Council of Grand Sorcerers.

"Brothers and Sisters welcome again to the halls of your temple of magic. We assemble at the request of several of our Grand Sorcerers to allow an individual not formally inducted into our ranks to speak." The leader took a moment to pause as there was some murmuring among the ranks that was quite noticeable. "Those of you whom have been members for the last several years will remember that it is not such a peculiar occurrence for this dais to host an unvested guest." A mist began to form over certain portions of the assembled as was normal to allow for a projected view of the speaker. "Many of you are aware of the crisis that is sweeping the globe and is leaving many millions of muggles dead or dying. Our guest speaker has petitioned this council for the right to address you on this matter, and we have granted his request."

From seated on the dais rose a figure in an elegant robe with golden patters and green trim.

"Sirs and Madams, Ladies and Gentlemen I ask for your attention as respect be given to Harry Potter as he addresses this assembly."

Harry lowered his hood and removed his outer cloak, throwing it to the side where it hung suspended in mid-air. Around his neck hung what appeared to be an ICW Chain of Office, but the pendant's color was Jet Black with a white diamond. He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers and exiting the chamber became impossible. He wanted all to sit and hear what he had to say.

"Greetings one and all, please don't be alarmed. I merely have secured the entrances of this room from prying eyes and ears." Harry left the lectern which the Supreme Sorcerer used and began to pace back and forth as he continued his address. "I come before you today bearing a warning and a story. I plan on sharing both with you, but not necessarily in that order."

"There is no better place to start than at the beginning, at my will hold some significance to you." Harry looked out over the crowd and seemed to settle on some point off to the left of the center of the stage. "I may appear quite young, but I am in fact quite old. In fact, I am willing to wager that I am the oldest being in this room apart from the consciousness that resides in this temple and relays our prayers and supplications to God by traversing the nether in which it inhabits and exists."

"I was born in a time of war which had engulfed the wizarding world, and was led by those whom believed that the muggle-born were a danger to us and a threat to wizardkind. Those fighting this war advocated, and accomplished, the wholesale slaughter of countless thousands of muggles which threatened to expose our world on many occasions, but had it not been for the talents belying the various ministry's obliviators the International Statute of Secrecy, or Great Covenant as you call it, would have been breached on a scale unimaginable today."

Harry resumed his walk about the dais.

"This war claimed the lives of many talented witches and wizards, my parents among them. It also led to bitter divides in our community as to whether or not those of less than pure heritage were to be afforded the same rights and opportunities in public life, and our culture stagnated until another war was fought and won to settle the question definitively. I fought hard and long with promising young witches and wizards only to see them cut down in their prime, but it was a fight which we all believed in. We were fighting for the right of all humans to be free to embrace their magic and to be able to join into the folds of our sacred brotherhood…the brotherhood of magic." Harry had to pause as the crowd expressed its confusion, but timid support of this statement with scattered sounds of support.

"This war has not yet happened and I have taken steps to ensure that it never will," the background noise was beginning to intensify as the implications of this statement were understood by the members assembled. "I fought and won my war by transcending my previous understandings of mortality, right, wrong, and justice. I discovered magics that changed me from being limited by my human body and abilities into being at one with magic, the universe, and God. I initially viewed this new condition as a blessing, but soon came to believe it was a curse. Much like the venerable Nicholas Flamel, I am immortal." Here the noise level rose to the point that Harry had to stop as the Supreme Sorcerer called for quiet.

"Thank you Supreme Sorcerer. As I was saying, my transcendence has left me more than human, yet less as well. I can speak to the divine, yet must remain on this mortal coil until time itself is no more. I am gifted with incredible magical powers the likes of which you all combined could not compete with…yet I envy you your mortality, and your innocence with which you live your lives unknowing of dangers of the future to come, or rather what was to come."

"You are all aware that the muggles are all in a state of panic, as a plague has swept the globe killing millions and leaving millions more still ill and dying; but what you do not know is that this is the will of magic, and an act which we must not interfere with lest we risk exposing our own to the threat of contagion." Harry paused as he took summoned a glass of water and after drinking from it set it on the lectern. "Our world is one of isolation and this has afforded us much protection over the years. We must continue to prosper in the shade of safety that our isolation allows, and now more than ever, I pose to you my magical brethren, we must move while the iron is hot! We must strike at the muggles covertly to ensure that their wheels of technology and "progress" no longer pose a danger to us."

There was a roar of applause from several areas of the chamber, but it wasn't universal. There were several naysayers who were on there feet alongside those cheering who were booing and shouting "Shame!" over and over again. Not to be deterred, Harry continued.

"Before this event, we dared not attack the muggles outright for the sheer superiority of numbers they had of us. Now, with millions upon millions of their people dying and their world on the edge of complete destruction, we have the chance afforded to cultures only once in history. With each government dedicating a small covert force to this task, we can enforce a systematic decline upon the muggles by which it will be centuries before they are able to recover. In the course of the last few months we have gone from preparing for world wide war to heaving a collective sigh of relief as to the untold damage to nature, our people, and the planet which would have resulted with another war."

Harry stopped his pacing, and conjured an obsidian throne upon which to sit, and as he did so a deep and ominous sounding bell tolled somewhere in the distance which sent chills down the spines of every member in the temple. From the deep, within the very soul of the temple, resonated a power which increased the pressure in the chamber until finally an aurora borealis began to shine above the altar behind Harry, whom was outlined with a flaming aura of deepest black.

"Many of you will question who am I to address this group; yet many of you think my call to arms is repugnant regardless of who I am." The tolling of the bell stopped suddenly and the aura seemed to freeze around Harry as he leaned forward, as the pulsations of the light show above the altar stopped.

"I am the Master of Death and I have traversed time, space, and my own humanity to ensure that the caretakers of God's creation here on this Earth live to fulfill their duty. I command divine magics your mortal minds cannot begin to comprehend, and I deliver this call to arms with a warning: Either stand aside as my assault against the muggles continues, or make preperations to reclaim your ancestral lands as we return to our destined role as the leaders and masters of God's will upon Earth. No longer shall I allow the wizarding world to guide itself into doom by its inattention and divisions. I shall not allow our race to be destroyed by the muggles as I saw happen in my advanced age. I swore before God and the graves of my family that I would prevent the wholesale pillaging, raping, and poisoning of the Earth and our people by means of science which the muggles would have discovered by 1945."

Harry stood and began floating on a cloud of malevolence so potent as to be visible to the naked eye which struck fear and awe into the hearts of all watching.

"I have crippled the muggle world for you Oh Children of Creation!" The roar of the crowd was deafening. "I have removed the vermin from your paradise! It is now up to you to repopulate the Earth and rebuild our society according to sacred teachings and understandings. I have given you an Eden which the muggles savaged and desecrated at every opportunity. Now it is the time of the resurgent king! Magic is Might, and Divinely So!"

Harry waited for the crowd to settle before he spoke again.

"There are individuals among you whom have searched far and wide, seeking to reunite the Deathly Hallows, but I tell you now it is a futile endeavor. I was the first to do so, and I shall be the only to do so. My arrival in this time has negated their power and their power's allegiance became mine throughout all time once I defeated my fow and claimed the Elder Wand as my own." From within his robes he produced the Elder Wand for all to see. "These items have lost their mystical powers yet they remain exceptional tools of magic." Harry released the wand and it fell only to stop several feet above the ground and shoot off in the direction of the German delegation, and into the hands of Gellert Grindewald. "The magic of the wand senses great potential and good in you Sorcerer. Use my old wand to shape the future which is beneficial to our people, yet merciful to the muggles. While I have killed millions notice, one and all assembled here today, that I have done so mercifully. There was no elaborate plots to induce widespread pain and suffering. I have subjugated none. I have tortured none."

"We as wizards must be merciful first and foremost! Even vermin deserve a dignified death; even the common black rat receives a human end. Remember your origins, remember your purpose, and see to it that the light of God shines once more to inspire awe in **all** of his creation…even the muggles."

With that, Harry was enveloped in a blinding white light and he was gone…the chamber was returned to normal, and everyone was filled with a sense of …. _purpose_ and _hope_. Even those whom were against genocide began to see reality differently, for that was the beauty of the magic which Harry had wrought. He wasn't lying when he claimed to have divine magics. He changed the minds and beliefs of the most powerful and influential members of the wizarding world to do as he suggested. He had just set the stage for a magical revolution, and no blood would be shed if his plans came to fruition as they likely would.

There was hope for change, and there was hope for the prosperity of the future.

*%&*%&%*&%*%&%*%&%*%&%*%&%*%&%*%&%*%&%&%

End of Chapter 4, Part I of Political Change.

I'm going to be unavailable for the next two weeks or so. Please enjoy this chapter and my renewed dedication to this story.

I welcome all critiques and comments….even anonymous.

Bless you all, and Merry Christmas! May the love of God reach each of you this season and the light of His majesty support you in the year to come.

This, and all other chapters, are Beta-Less. If you would like to volunteer, let me know.


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